Kent State women’s basketball won 54-52 Sunday against Stephen F. Austin in the last game of the David Jones Memorial Classic in Houston, Texas, to improve their record to 2-5.

“This is a huge win for our program,” Coach Danielle O’Banion said in a press release. “To win on the road, to win against a team of Stephen F. Austin’s caliber … certainly helps us feel excited about what lies ahead.”

Freshman guard Larissa Lurken had the most points with 15, and she also had eight rebounds. Junior forward Montia Johnson had a double-double with a career-high 15 rebounds and 12 points. Junior center CiCi Shannon tied her career high of five rebounds.

The Ladyjacks (3-4) led 30-28 at halftime, but Kent State took a 4-0 run to start the second half and get the lead back, which they held until the final buzzer.

Kent State’s Sunday win showed they bounced back after a 54-44 loss Saturday against the University of Houston.

The Flashes had a season-high 44 rebounds and had 22 of their 54 points in the paint. The team also went 11 of 12 in free throws down the stretch, accomplishing two goals O’Banion had set.

“We wanted to win in the paint, and we wanted to win at the free-throw line, and that’s what we did,” O’Banion said.

Kent State’s next game is Wednesday at home at 5 p.m. against Niagara as the first game of a doubleheader with men’s basketball. O’Banion is looking forward to the home stretch, which will last until the end of December.

“We want to continue our growth and maturation in the M.A.C. Center this week,” O’Banion said. “Now the challenge is to take what we started on the road back home.”

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected].