Kent State University
21-9,12-6MAC
Northern Illinois
16-14,8-10MAC
Early Three-Point Shooting Barrage Helps Flashes Advance to MAC Tournament Semis
3/8/2023 5:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND — Kent State made five shots from three-point range during the first nine minutes of action and held on to defeat Northern Illinois, 75-68, in a Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal contest at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Katie Shumate led the way with 20 points and 12 rebounds, matching her season-high. Shumate was aggressive early and scored nine points in the first period. Senior Clare Kelly added a season-high 16 points and graduate student Lindsey Thall also finished with 16.
The Golden Flashes (21-9) continued to torch the nets from long range against the Huskies, who they made 13 three-point field goals against in a Senior Day victory on Saturday, to lead by as many as 14 during the first quarter, which ended with a 22-10 score.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Shumate and junior Casey Santoro pushed the lead to 14, Kent State's largest of the day, with 5:43 to play in the second period. The lead dipped into single-digits during a four-plus minute scoring drought, ending with a corner triple by Kelly. A reverse finish by Kelly was answered by two Huskies free throws in the final minute, but graduate student Hannah Young sank two shots from the free throw stripe in the closing seconds to give the Flashes a 38-25 lead at halftime.
The teams played even over the first eight minutes of the third quarter, but NIU scored the final five points to get within eight at the end of 30 minutes.
After the lead was trimmed to five just two minutes into the fourth, Thall converted a three-point play in the paint to swing momentum back in favor of Kent State.
The lead once again was only five with 3:07 to play, and Thall had another answer with an inside basket. Young made a big block on defense and Shumate converted inside to extend the lead back to nine. Kent State made seven of eight free throws over the final 1:29 to lead by double-digits before NIU sank a three-point shot in the closing seconds.
Santoro was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch and was the fourth Flash in double-figures with 12 points. She added three assists to share the team lead with Shumate and sophomore Jenna Batsch.
Kent State finished with six turnovers and has committed single-digit giveaways in six of the past seven contests.
The Flashes will play top-seeded Toledo in a MAC Tournament semifinal contest at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 10.
