Kent State University
11-6,3-3MAC
Bowling Green
16-2,5-1MAC
Defense Shines in Setback at Bowling Green
1/21/2023 5:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Kent State forced host Bowling Green into a season-high 20 turnovers and its worst shooting performance at the Stroh Center of the season during a 66-57 setback Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (11-6, 3-3 MAC) held the Falcons 21 points under their average from the first seven home games this season. Only 12th-ranked Indiana has limited them to fewer points at any point this season. Bowling Green had made more than half of its shot on its home court entering the day but went just 23-of-53 for 43.4%. Sophomore Bridget Dunn helped protect the basket with three blocked shots, matching her career-high.
Despite a slow start on the offensive end of the floor in which Kent State missed its first seven shots while turning the ball over seven times in the first six minutes of action, the intensity of the defensive end kept the Flashes within striking distance until shots started to fall.
Four straight made field goals spanning the final two minutes in the first quarter and first two minutes in the second trimmed a 14-point deficit to nine. The Falcons pushed the lead back to 14 on a three-pointer in the final minute of the second period, but Dunn answered with a triple of her own to make it 32-21 at halftime.
The first seven points of the third quarter were scored by Bowling Green before senior Clare Kelly got the Flashes on the board with a three-pointer. An 8-0 Kent State scoring run, its largest of the contest, helped make it a single-digit game with the hosts leading 44-36 entering the final 10 minutes.
Junior Casey Santoro split attempts from the charity stripe to start the fourth, but Bowling Green answered with a quick 8-0 run to extend its lead to 15 with 7:39 to play. The Flashes were able to get within eight points with 1:22 on the clock but could not get any closer.
Graduate student Lindsey Thall had a game-high 15 points. Freshman Corynne Hauser finished with 13 points and four assists and Kelly added 10 points.
Kent State will head to Northern Illinois for a 7 p.m. ET matchup on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
