Kent State University
Florida State
Kent State Opens Women’s Basketball Season Thursday Night Against Florida State
11/9/2022 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Kent State women's basketball team gets the 2022-23 regular season started Thursday night against Florida State at the M.A.C. Center. The game will be part of a doubleheader and will tip approximately 38 minutes following the conclusion of the men's basketball game against Baldwin Wallace, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Fans will have the opportunity to watch two games for the price of one, as those in attendance at the men's basketball are invited to stay for the women's game.
Led by seventh-year head coach Todd Starkey, the Golden Flashes are ranked No. 20 in the preseason Mid-Major Top 25 poll that was released on Nov. 1. Kent State defeated Mercyhurst, 72-40, in its lone exhibition contest last Thursday.
Guard Katie Shumate and forward Lindsey Thall lead a veteran group that brings back six of its top seven scorers from a year ago. Shumate, an All-MAC honorable mention selection during her first two seasons as a Flash, was the team's top scorer last season at 12.1 points per game. Thall averaged 11.4 points and a career-best 5.2 rebounds per contest. The 2021 MAC honorable mention and two-time MAC All-Defensive Team selection is Kent State's career leader in three-point field goals (218) and ranks second in blocked shots (172).
Guard Casey Santoro recorded the first triple-double in school history against Clarion last December and posted averages of 10.1 points and team-high 3.0 assists per game. Forward Bridget Dunn scored 9.1 points per game and was tied for the team lead with 52 three-pointers during her debut campaign.
KSU in Season Openers
• Kent State is 24-23 all-time in season openers after posting a road win over Northern Kentucky, 80-73, last season.
• Head coach Todd Starkey is 4-2 in openers and is the only KSU head coach to be victorious in their debut at the school with a 77-52 win against Bradley to begin the 2016-17 season.
• Starkey's teams have gone 5-1 in home openers with the lone setback coming to Ohio State, 75-65, on Nov. 21, 2019. Graduate student Lindsey Thall drained a Kent State single-game record eight three-pointers in that contest.
