Kent State University
Bowling Green
Flashes Visit Falcons to Start Final Week of Regular Season Play
3/2/2021 3:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kent State visits Mid-American Conference regular season champion Bowling Green for a midweek women's basketball game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.
The Golden Flashes (10-7, 9-5 MAC) lost, 61-58, at Miami on Saturday on three-point shot at the buzzer to snap a three-game win streak. Kent State allowed the RedHawks to score just five points on 0-for-11 shooting from the floor over the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter. Miami managed to tie the game with a traditional three-point play and was able to hold for the final shot after a missed three-pointer by the Flashes. After a timeout with 3.2 seconds left saved the RedHawks from giving the ball back to Kent State, Peyton Scott was able to get free and sink the game-winner as the horn sounded. Nila Blackford led the way with 18 points, 14 rebounds and four steals. Hannah Young provided 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
Four players are averaging more than 10.0 points per game against conference opponents. Sophomore Nila Blackford is one of three MAC players averaging a double-double with team-best marks of 16.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Katie Shumate (12.1 ppg) has a team-high 39.7 three-point field goal percentage. Junior Lindsey Thall adds 11.2 points per game and is the top shot blocker (1.6 bpg) in the MAC for the third year in a row while averaging a career-best 5.4 rebounds per game. Sophomore Clare Kelly (9.4 ppg) has averaged 11.0 points per game since moving into the starting lineup after the New Year. Junior Mariah Modkins (6.9 ppg) leads the Flashes with 2.9 assists per game. Freshman Casey Santoro adds 6.4 points per game off the bench.
Scouting Bowling Green
Ranked 13th in the most recent Women's Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, the Falcons (17-4, 13-3 MAC) have won four in a row and already clinched the MAC regular season championship.
Stellar defense has been the reason for Bowling Green's turnaround, and it allows the second-fewest points in the MAC (63.0). Nine opponents have been held under 60 points. Bowling Green leads the conference and ranks in the top-20 in the nation in steals per game (11.0), turnovers forced per game (20.3) and turnover margin (+6.2). Offensively, the Falcons are scoring 73.9 points per contest and averaging a MAC-leading 15.1 assists per game.
Guard Lexi Fleming was the only freshmen among the 15 student-athletes named to the 2021 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award watch list. Fleming is the top scorer (17.5 ppg) among newcomers in the MAC. Guards Kadie Hempfling (12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Elissa Brett (10.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) are the team's top rebounders. Guard Kenzie Lewis (6.0 ppg) leads MAC freshmen in assists per game (3.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.23). Guard Nyla Hampton (8.8 ppg) is second in the conference with 2.9 steals per game. Center Angela Perry, an All-MAC honorable mention performer last season, adds 8.5 points per game and has made more than half of her 108 field goal attempts.
Series History
• Kent State is 37-53 in the all-time series with Bowling Green.
• The Golden Flashes are 13-27 at Bowling Green, including a 3-7 record inside of the Stroh Center.
• Each of the past two matchups have required more than 40 minutes to determine a winner. Kent State won 96-86 in double-overtime last season, while the Falcons escaped the M.A.C. Center with an 80-79 victory to on February 10.
• The Flashes are 7-3 under fifth-year head coach Todd Starkey.
Broadcast Info
Dave Wilson will be on the call on the Kent State Radio Network. The game will also be streamed on ESPN+.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will finish the regular season at the M.A.C. Center against rival Akron in a Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge game at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 6.
