Kent State University
Buffalo
Flashes Face Familiar Foe in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals
3/9/2021 1:47:00โฏPM | Women's Basketball
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For the fourth consecutive year, Kent State will play Buffalo in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. Tip is scheduled at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (11-8, 10-6 MAC) were finally able to get past the Bulls a year ago, earning a 72-66 victory on March 11, 2020. Unfortunately, that would be the final game of the tournament, as the event was canceled the following morning with Kent State the highest seed remaining in the field.
It took nearly a year for the teams to meet again, and this will be the second matchup in the past two weeks. The Flashes scored the final four points of that game on February 24 to earn a 65-62 victory inside of the M.A.C. Center. Kent State limited Buffalo to just one three-point field goal and it's lowest scoring performance during the conference season.
The Flashes closed the regular season with a 64-58 win over rival Akron, earning a point in the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge standings. A dominant 48-24 rebounding effort was key to the victory, as Kent State recorded season-high totals in offensive rebounds (22) and second chance points (21). Hannah Young grabbed a career-high 15 boards to lead the way. Nila Blackford finished with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting from the field.
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 15.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore Katie Shumate (12.2 ppg) has scored at least 10 points in eight of her last nine games. Junior Lindsey Thall adds 10.9 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 5.3 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 (6.8 ppg) leads the Flashes with 2.8 assists per game. Freshman Casey Santoro adds 7.1 points per game off the bench.
Kent State in the MAC Tournament
โข Kent State is making its 34th appearance in the MAC Tournament and has a 35-29 record in tournament play.
โข The Golden Flashes have advanced to the quarterfinals in Cleveland for the fifth year in a row.ย
โข Kent State has advanced to the semifinals 18 times, recording an 12-5 record in those games (2020 game was not played after tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic).
โข The Flashes have won three MAC Tournament titles: 1999, 2000 and 2002.
โข Kent State appeared in the championship game seven straight years from 1996-2002 and has played for the title 12 times overall.
โข During that seven-year stretch, the Flashes owned an 18-4 MAC Tournament record.
MAC Tournament History vs. Buffalo
โข Kent State is 3-3 all-time vs. Buffalo in MAC Tournament play, with all six being quarterfinal matchups.
โข The Golden Flashes won the first two postseason meetings between the teams, knocking the Bulls out of the tournament in both 1999 (84-48) and 2000 (71-68).
โข Buffalo earned its first victory, 66-54, in 2009.
โข The Bulls eliminated Kent State in 2018 and 2019 by an average margin of 27.5 points.
โขย Last season, the Flashes defeated UB, 72-66, in the final game that was played at the tournament.
Scouting Buffalo
The Bulls (14-8, 11-6 MAC) won three of their final four games during the regular season, with the lone loss against the Golden Flashes. Buffalo went on the road and completed the season sweep of regular season champion Bowling Green with a 69-68 overtime win on Saturday. The Bulls rank third in the conference in both scoring offense (74.1 ppg) and scoring defense (68.8 ppg) and are an elite rebounding team, ranking 12th in the country in offensive rebounds per game (16.0) and 15th in total rebounds per game (43.3).
Sophomore Dyaisha Fair is one of 10 finalists for the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award, which recognizes the nation's top point guard. Fair pours in 24.1 points per game, which ranks sixth in the nation, and also ranks in the top-30 in three-point field goals (55), assists per game (5.2) and steals per game (2.8). Backcourt mate Cheyenne McEvans adds 11.1 points per game. Forward Summer Hemphill (8.6 ppg), a Second Team All-MAC performer in 2019, had 10 points in the Bulls' final two games after going scoreless in her returned against Kent State. Keowa Walters (6.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Loren Christie (3.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Zena Elias (1.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Adebola Adeyeye (4.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Elea Gaba (7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg) provide the Bulls with depth in the frontcourt.
Series History
โข Kent State is 30-20 all-time vs. Buffalo.
โข The Golden Flashes won each of the first 19 games in the series, beginning with an 86-77 victory on Jan. 13, 1999.
โข However, the Bulls are 17-4 over the past 21 meetings.
โข Kent State has reached the 70-point mark just three times during this stretch, averaging 57.5 points per game.
โข The Flashes are 2-3 in matchups played on a neutral floor and 3-3 in MAC Tournament meetings.
โข Kent State is 4-8 under fifth-year head coach Todd Starkey.
Broadcast Info
Dave Wilson will call the action on the Kent State Radio Network, while Dave Bacon and Jacki Windon will bring the action on ESPN+.
Next Up for Kent State
With a win, the Golden Flashes advance to the MAC Tournament semifinals on Friday, March 12 against the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 1 seed Bowling Green and No. 8 seed Eastern Michigan.
