Kent State University
Buffalo
Women’s Basketball Back on the Road Wednesday at Buffalo
2/14/2023 4:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kent State looks to avoid back-to-back setbacks when it battles Buffalo inside Alumni Arena on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
The Golden Flashes (15-8, 7-5 MAC) are No. 23 in the Mid-Major Top 25 and sit in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference standings following a 75-69 loss to Bowling Green on Saturday. Kent State had two opportunities to tie the game or take the lead midway through the fourth but came away with consecutive empty possessions. Graduate student Lindsey Thall led the Flashes with 15 points, while freshman Corynne Hauser added 13 points to go with career-highs of seven rebounds and seven assists.
Kent State's defense has been among the best in the MAC this season. The Flashes lead the conference in scoring defense (61.9 ppg) and rank second in field goal percentage defense (.386). Kent State is 14-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points and 5-0 when opposing teams shoot less than 30% from the field.
Forward Lindsey Thall is the top scorer at 11.4 points per game and has also totaled team-best marks of 38 three-pointers and 24 blocked shots. Thall is Kent State's all-time leader with 256 triples, which ranks 21st among active NCAA Division I players, and ranks 10th among active players in career blocks (196). Guard Katie Shumate adds 10.6 points per game and pulls down a team-high 6.0 rebounds per contest, while guard Corynne Hauser (10.2 ppg) is averaging a team-best 12.1 points per game during conference play.
Guard Clare Kelly (7.5 ppg) and forwards Bridget Dunn (4.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Tatiana Thomas (4.3 ppg) lead a strong bench unit that is scoring 23.7 points per contest.
Scouting Buffalo
The Bulls (9-12, 4-8 MAC) have played four of the last five games on the road, posting a 1-4 record. Buffalo is 4-5 in games played inside of Alumni Arena but has not won at home since Jan. 14. The Bulls rank 14th in the country in fewest fouls per game (13.4) and have made 21 more free throws (237) than their opponents have attempted (216).
Guards Re'Shawna Stone (15.5 ppg), Zakiyah Winfield (15.0 ppg) and Jazmine Young (14.0 ppg) are all scoring at least 15.0 points per game during MAC play. Winfield adds 10.3 rebounds per game and is one of only two players in the conference averaging a double-double. Guard Hattie Ogden (4.0 ppg) has made a team-best 27 three-point field goals.
Series History
• Kent State is 31-23 all-time vs. Buffalo.
• The Golden Flashes won each of the first 19 games in the series, beginning with an 86-77 victory on Jan. 13, 1999.
• However, the Bulls are 20-5 over the past 25 meetings.
• Kent State has reached the 70-point mark just three times during this stretch, averaging 58.6 points per game.
• The Flashes have lost 10 straight matchups in Buffalo and are 11-11 all-time.
• Kent State is 5-11 under head coach Todd Starkey.
Broadcast Info
Paul Peck and Matt Mattia will call the action on ESPN+, while Tyler Henry will be on the call on the Kent State Radio Network.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will host rival Akron on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
