Kent State University
19-8,11-5MAC
Eastern Michigan
14-13,6-10MAC
Kent State Beats EMU, Extends Winning Streak to Four Games
2/25/2023 8:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Kent State fought back from an 11-point deficit in the first quarter to earn a 75-67 road victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (19-8, 11-5 MAC) were led by senior Katie Shumate and graduate student Hannah Young, who both shot 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc. Shumate scored 23 points to match her season-high and grabbed nine rebounds. Young finished with 17 points.
Eastern Michigan made eight of its first 11 shots, including four from three-point range, and led 20-9 just over seven minutes into the contest. Kent State forced turnovers on two of the Eagles' final three possessions in the opening period and got two baskets from freshman Tatiana Thomas to make it 22-13 after 10 minutes of action.
Shumate outscored EMU 11-2 to tie it at 24-24 and force timeout to be called with 6:09 remaining in the second quarter. The Flashes stretched it to a 19-2 run before the Eagles connected on a three-pointer at the 1:54 mark, their only field goal of the period. A three-pointer by graduate student Lindsey Thall and jump shot by freshman Corynne Hauser made it 37-28 at halftime.
The Flashes' lead was trimmed to two multiple times during the third quarter, but a corner triple by Shumate in the final minute made it 52-47 heading to the fourth.
Kent State made six of its first seven shots to start the final quarter and led 65-53 with 6:03 remaining after a steal and layup by junior Casey Santoro. Young contributed seven points during the run and totaled 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the period. Senior Clare Kelly gave the Flashes their largest lead of the day, 71-56, on a three-pointer with 4:03 to play.
The Flashes finished with nine turnovers and have been in single-digits in each game during their current four-game winning streak.
Kent State travels to first-place Toledo for the final road game of the season on Wednesday, March 1.
