Although she has only played five games as a member of the Kent State women’s basketball team, Mississauga, Ontario native Chenel Harris provides a lot of knowledge this weekend against Vermont.

“They have a lot of Canadians who I’ve played against,” she said. “I’m actually pretty good friends with some of them, actually. They are the leading scorers on the team.”

Harris, a 5-foot 11-inch freshman guard, could benefit from her experience against Vermont’s top players when the team faces the Catamounts Saturday at 2 at the M.A.C. Center.

“I’m expecting (Vermont) to come out hard and want to beat us because they defeated us last year,” she said. “But we have a lot to prove and we have nothing to lose. I would expect us to come out hard and play well.”

Vermont (4-2) has never lost to the Golden Flashes, including 91-73 win last season in Burlington, Vt. Kent State coach Bob Lindsay said he doesn’t know what to expect from Vermont, but he does know it is a good team.

“We’re going to have to play very, very well to beat Vermont because they are a very good team,” he said.

Harris has been one of the best players early this season. The freshman is currently third on the team at 8.6 points per game. She’s also averaging 3.4 rebounds per game. With only four games played so far, Harris said she is getting more comfortable with each game played.

“You are going up against girls who are fast, playing at the Division I level,” she said. “And there are not any weaker players in the lineup at this level, but the support from the team has been very good.”

Vermont is 4-2, but has already lost to one Mid-American Conference team this season, 83-67 to conference favorite Ball State. Vermont is led by 6-foot 1-inch sophomore guard Courtnay Pilypaitis, averaging 14 points per game and 5-foot 9-inch junior guard Amy Rosenkrantz, who averages 12 points per game. This is the first time the Catamounts have ever played at the M.A.C. Center, and it is the second home game of the season for the Flashes.

The Flashes won their first game of the season Saturday 53-47 over Navy.

Contact sports reporter Jeff Russ at [email protected]