Kent State University
Syracuse
Flashes Travel to Syracuse for Postseason WNIT Opener
3/14/2023 7:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kent State looks to begin a run in the 2023 Postseason WNIT, which begins with a first round game at Syracuse on Wednesday, March 15. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside of the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Golden Flashes (21-10) entered the Mid-American Conference Tournament with 20 wins for the first time since 2011 and fell to eventual champion Toledo, 68-58, in the semifinals. Senior Katie Shumate was named to the All-Tournament team after posting two double-doubles and averages of 20.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.
Kent State, which has not won 22 games since the record-setting 1999-00 season that finished with a 25-6 record, is among the best defensive teams in the MAC, leading the conference in scoring defense (61.9 ppg) and ranking third field goal percentage defense (.396). The Flashes are 20-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points and 5-0 when opposing teams shoot less than 30% from the field.
The three-ball has been a key on offense, as Kent State leads the MAC in both three-pointers per game (8.4) and three-point field goal percentage (.350). For the second year in a row, the Flashes have set the single-season record for three-pointers and enter the postseason with 259. Graduate student Lindsey Thall has drained a school record 267 three-pointers during her career and is one of three active Flashes who rank among the top-10 in program history in three-point field goal percentage.
All-MAC Third Team guard Katie Shumate posts team-best averages of 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest. Shumate has grabbed at least seven boards in 11 consecutive games. All-MAC honorable mention forward Lindsey Thall is close behind at 11.6 points per game and has totaled team-best marks of 49 three-pointers and 30 blocked shots. Thall is the only women's basketball student-athlete in MAC history and active NCAA Division I player with at least 250 three-point field goals (267) and 200 blocked shots (202) in her career. MAC All-Freshman Team guard Corynne Hauser (9.0 ppg) is averaging a team-best 3.0 assists per game.
Guard Clare Kelly (7.3 ppg) and forwards Bridget Dunn (4.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Tatiana Thomas (4.1 ppg) lead a strong bench unit that is scoring 23.0 points per contest.
Kent State in the Postseason WNIT
• Kent State makes its seventh Postseason WNIT appearance and owns a 2-6 record.
• The Golden Flashes have won first round games in each of their past two appearances, defeating Green Bay (64-59) in 2019 and Youngstown State (68-59) last year.
• Kent State has never hosted a WNIT contest, and this will be the sixth state in which it plays a Postseason WNIT contest.
• Overall, the Flashes are 3-11 in postseason play with a first round victory over Texas A&M in the 1996 NCAA Tournament.
Scouting Syracuse
The Orange (18-12) are in the first season under the direction of head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, who spent the previous decade leading Buffalo's program. The Orange went 14-3 at home during the regular season, which included a win over No. 14 North Carolina.
Guard Dyaisha Fair (19.7 ppg, 2.5 spg) earned All-ACC First Team and All-Defensive Team honors and is one of four student-athletes who followed Legette-Jack from Buffalo. Guards Georgia Woolley (12.0 ppg) and Teisha Hyman (10.6 ppg) and forward Dariauna Lewis (9.4 ppg) provide complementary scoring options. Â Lewis averages 8.9 rebounds per game,
Series History
• Kent State defeated Syracuse, 60-49, in the only previous matchup on Dec. 11, 2004.
• After trailing by three at halftime, the Golden Flashes outscored their host 36-22 in the second half, helped by 6-of-8 shooting from behind the three-point arc.
• Melissa DeGrate led all players with 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
• Malika Willoughby and Lindsay Shearer added 11 points each. Willoughby also recorded nine assists.
Broadcast Info
Tim Leonard will call the action on ACCNX, while Tyler Henry will be on the call on the Kent State Radio Network.
Next Up for Kent State
With a win, the Golden will play the Seton Hall-Saint Joseph's winner in the WNIT second. Second round games are scheduled from March 18-21.
