Women to take on top three teams

The Kent State women’s basketball team made a goal at the beginning of the season to win the Mid-American Conference East Division.

That didn’t pan out.

With Bowling Green locking up first place in the MAC East last weekend, the Flashes (16-7, 5-6 MAC) will hope to solidify their hold on second place in the coming week. But it won’t be easy.

Starting at 2 p.m. Sunday at the M.A.C. Center against Miami, the Flashes will square off against three of the top MAC East teams – Miami, Ohio and Bowling Green – over a seven-day span.

“This is basically the hardest stretch we have of the season,” senior guard Asheley Harkins said. “It’s definitely going to be a really, really big week.”

In their first go-round of the East, the Flashes lost to both Miami and Bowling Green and escaped with an overtime victory against Ohio. Kent State led at halftime against Miami before a defensive collapse allowed the RedHawks to score 45 second-half points.

“That game was our game,” Harkins said. “It was just little mistakes on the defense end that caused us not to win that game.”

Those mistakes on defense are part of what Kent State coach Bob Lindsay has been calling team weaknesses all season. Kent State struggles with consistency and becoming a better team, he said.

“The biggest challenge of them all the way through the year has been (the team’s) ability to do what it has to do to improve,” HE said. “. And it continues to be their biggest challenge.”

The Flashes’ 5-6 conference record reflects their inconsistencies. From game to game, Kent State has put up strong offensive numbers but weak defensive displays – or vice versa. As a result, the Flashes have lost three of their last four games entering this weekend.

“It’s really going to take everybody just making a commitment on the defensive end,” Harkins said about Sunday’s game. “Even though we lost to Toledo (last Sunday), I think our defensive effort was a lot better.”

Miami enters Sunday’s game on a two-game losing streak. While Miami has only shot 40 percent from the field on the season, Lindsay said his team will have to defend at all positions.

“You have to definitely defend the perimeter game on (Miami) and then try to do the best you can with their forwards,” he said. “They’ve basically been playing the same way they played the first time we played them.”

Contact sports reporter Josh Johnston at [email protected].