Kent State University
12-13,6-7MAC
Northern Illinois
5-21,2-12MAC
Flashes Rally to Beat Huskies in Play4Kay Contest
2/18/2026 11:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio — Kent State erased an 11-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat Northern Illinois, 70-67, in the annual Play4Kay game on Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center.
In addition to recording their largest comeback victory of the season, the Golden Flashes (12-13, 6-7 MAC) won for the first time this season when trailing in the final five minutes of a contest. Junior Riley Rismiller scored a team-high 16 points and senior Tatiana Thomas was right behind with 15 points to go with seven rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists. Sophomore Journey Hildebrand added 14 points off the bench.
Kent State struggled to find any offensive flow during the first 20 minutes and trailed 36-29 at halftime. Rismiller provided the only scoring during the first five minutes of the third quarter with three baskets, and the Huskies led 46-35 with 5:03 left in the period. An 8-0 run followed to get within three, but NIU extended its lead back to eight entering the final minute. Rismiller then sank her fourth shot of the period and redshirt junior Corynne Hauser swished a shot from just beyond halfcourt at the buzzer to get within 54-51 entering the fourth.
The Huskies opened scoring in the final period to go back ahead by five before Thomas and Hildebrand combined for an 11-0 run that gave the Flashes their largest lead of the night, 62-56, with 4:35 remaining.
After falling behind again, the Flashes took a 67-66 lead on a pair of free throws by Hauser with 1:18 to play. Both teams split a pair of free throws in the final 15 seconds before senior Dionna Gray sank two from the charity stripe for a 70-67 lead with less than 10 seconds to play. Â Gray then blocked NIU's attempt to tie the game from deep and the visitor was unable to get a final shot off after inbouding with 0.7 seconds to play.
Kent State will make the short trip to rival Akron on Saturday for a noon contest inside James A. Rhodes Arena.
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