Kent State University
Toledo
Kent State Set for MAC Tournament Semifinals Against Toledo
3/9/2023 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Following an opening day of chalk, Kent State looks to post the first upset of the 2023 Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament when it battles back-to-back regular season champions and No. 1 seed Toledo in a semifinals contest on Friday, March 10. Tip inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is scheduled for 10 a.m.
The Golden Flashes (21-9) began the week in Cleveland with a 75-68 wire-to-wire victory over Northern Illinois in a quarterfinal contest on Wednesday, securing a third win against an opponent for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Kent State made five three-pointers and led by as many as 14 during the first quarter. The lead remained double-digits for most of the contest but was just five with 3:07 to play in the fourth. Two straight baskets for the Flashes started a 10-3 run that pushed it back to a 12-point game in the final minute. Senior Katie Shumate recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way. Senior Clare Kelly and graduate student Lindsey Thall added 16 points each.
Kent State has won six of its last seven games entering Friday and committed fewer than 10 turnovers in each of those victories. The lone double-digit performance came in a 64-60 loss at Toledo on March 1. Three of the Flashes' 12 turnovers happened in the final two minutes, as the Rockets outscored them 12-6 to close the game.
The Flashes' defense has been among the best in the MAC this season. Kent State leads the conference in scoring defense (61.7 ppg) and ranks second field goal percentage defense (.394). The Flashes are 20-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points and 5-0 when opposing teams shoot less than 30% from the field.
All-MAC Third Team guard Katie Shumate posts team-best averages of 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. Shumate has grabbed at least seven boards in 10 consecutive games. All-MAC honorable mention forward Lindsey Thall is close behind at 11.4 points per game and has totaled team-best marks of 48 three-pointers and 29 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 (266) and 200 blocked shots (201) in her career. MAC All-Freshman Team guard Corynne Hauser (9.3 ppg) is averaging a team-best 3.1 assists per game.
Guard Clare Kelly (7.3 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 23.5 points per contest.
Kent State in the MAC Tournament
• Kent State is making its 35th appearance in the MAC Tournament and has a 36-30 record in tournament play.
• The Golden Flashes have advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic caused the tournament to be canceled before having the opportunity to advance to Championship Saturday.
• This is the 19th time Kent State has advanced to the semifinals, posting a 12-5 record in games that were played.
• The Flashes have won three MAC Tournament titles: 1999, 2000 and 2002.
• Kent State appeared in the championship game seven straight years from 1996-2002 and has played for the title 12 times overall.
• During that seven-year stretch, the Flashes owned an 18-4 MAC Tournament record.
MAC Tournament History vs. Toledo
• Kent State will play Toledo in the MAC Tournament for the 12th time, the most of any team in the conference.
• The Golden Flashes are 3-8 in those matchups, including a 2-5 record in championship games during a 10-year stretch from 1992-2001.
• In the most recent contest, No. 10 seed Kent State left Savage Arena with an 80-76 upset victory in overtime.
• Head coach Todd Starkey is 1-1 in MAC Tournament games against the Rockets.
• In his first season, the Flashes were upset by No. 6 seed Toledo in the quarterfinals, 67-63. The Rockets went on to capture their eighth tournament crown.
Scouting Toledo
The Rockets (26-4) survived a scare from Buffalo on Wednesday and needed overtime to earn a 75-74 victory, extending their winning streak to 14 games. Toledo has an average winning margin of 11.6 points during this streak, but each of the past five have been decided by six points or fewer. The Rockets own top-25 national rankings in free throw percentage (.786), free throws made per game (15.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.22) and turnovers per game (12.6).
MAC Player of the Year Quinesha Lockett is the second leading scorer in the conference at 18.0 points per game and averaged 30.0 in two games against Kent State this season. All-MAC Third Team guard Sophia Wiard (10.4 ppg) ranks second in the MAC in assists per game (4.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.62). Guard/forward Sammi Mikonowicz (10.4 ppg) grabs a team-best 7.7 rebounds per contest, while guard Khera Goss (8.1 ppg) was named to the MAC All-Defensive Team for the second year in a row.
Series History
• Kent State is 35-46 all-time vs. Toledo.
• The Rockets have won four straight meetings, including a 64-60 come-from-behind victory at home on March 1.
• Under head coach Todd Starkey, the Golden Flashes are 7-6 against Toledo.
• The Rockets had won nine straight matchups prior to Starkey's arrival.
Broadcast Info
Dave Bacon and Cayleigh Griffin 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
With a win, the Golden Flashes advance to the MAC Tournament championship on Saturday, March 11 against the winner of the semifinal between No. 2 seed Bowling Green and No. 3 seed Ball State.
