Kent State University
9-4,1-3MAC
Ball State
8-5,1-2MAC
Flashes’ Defense Stifles Cardinals in Road Victory
1/9/2022 5:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Kent State women's basketball team held host Ball State to its lowest scoring output of the season and earned a hard-fought 54-51 victory inside of Worthen Arena on Sunday afternoon.
For the third game in a row, the Golden Flashes (9-4, 1-3 MAC) had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, and sophomore Casey Santoro was able to slice down the lane and finish for a 52-51 lead with 17.6 seconds remaining. Junior Katie Shumate made two huge free throws with 3.1 seconds left following a defense stop, and the Cardinals were unable to get one final attempt to tie the game off before the final horn sounded.
Kent State's stifling defense limited Ball State to just 32.1% shooting (17-of-53) and forced 18 turnovers in the contest.
Both teams struggled to make shots early, and the Flashes led 9-8 at the end of the first period. Kent State made seven of its first nine shots in the second to lead 25-17 midway through the quarter. After not scoring for more than four minutes, senior Hannah Young knocked down a jumper on the Flashes' final possession of the half for a 27-20 lead going into the locker room.
Ball State connected on three-pointers on its first three possessions of the third quarter to tie it at 29-29. Shumate's triple at the 6:05 mark put Kent State back ahead by four, but the Cardinals answered with a three-point play and putback layup for their first lead of the day. Senior Mariah Modkins briefly put the Flashes in the lead, 37-36, on a driving layup at the 3:45 mark, but it was the team's final field goal in the period, and Ball State led 40-39 going into the final 10 minutes.
Freshman Bridget Dunn scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter for a 47-40 Kent State lead with 7:17 to play. An old school three-point play by junior Nila Blackford at the 5:03 mark made it a 50-45 game, but the Flashes were unable to score again until Santoro's layup in the final minute.
Dunn scored a game-high 15 points to match her most as a collegian. The rebounding efforts of Blackford and Young helped Kent State to a 43-32 advantage on the glass. Blackford recorded a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds, while Young totaled 11 points and nine boards.
Kent State is scheduled for a pair of home contests at the M.A.C. Center this week, beginning against Bowling Green at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
