Kent State University
15-7,9-2MAC
Central Michigan
5-17,3-8MAC
Fourth Quarter Blitz Finishes Off Flashes’ 77-54 Victory over Chippewas
2/17/2024 4:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Kent State put away host Central Michigan with an 18-2 run to start the fourth quarter and left McGuirk Arena with a 77-54 victory Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (15-7, 10-2 MAC) scored a season-high 46 points in the paint and had four players reach double-figures. Junior Jenna Batsch finished with a game-high 17 points while playing a season-low 20 minutes. Graduate student Mikala Morris scored 16 points, while redshirt senior Katie Shumate and freshman Janae Tyler added 12 each.
Kent State overcame a slow offensive start in which its first seven shots missed the mark and the Chippewas opened a 9-1 lead. Sophomore Dionna Gray removed the lid from the basket with a jump shot at the 5:36 mark to start a 16-2 run. CMU was able to convert a layup on the quarter's final possession and cut the Flashes' lead to 17-13.
The defense locked in to begin the second period, allowing the host to make just two field goals over the first six minutes, and junior Bridget Dunn's second three-point shot of the contest made it 31-18. The Chippewas rallied to make it a single-digit margin but Morris buried a jump shot a few feet outside of the paint for a 35-25 halftime lead.
The Flashes had another slow start to the third quarter with CMU scoring the first six points before countering with a 10-0 run to push the lead to 14. Following a basket by the Chippewas, Gray sank a three-pointer to give Kent State its largest lead to that point, 48-33. CMU finally found a rhythm to its offense over the final six minutes and a fast break layup at the buzzer pulled the host within 55-47 heading to the fourth.
After playing less than five minutes combined in the second and third periods, Batsch had fresh legs and scored the first four points of the final period. CMU sank a basket from the paint with 7:32 to play, but Kent State then scored the next 14 points and held the Chippewas without a field goal until the last two minutes.
The Flashes will be back on the road and travel to Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
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