Flashes prepare to bounce back against Miami

Deanna Stevens

Kent State typically does not try to repeat anything Akron does.

But in the case of the Kent State women’s basketball team, they are looking to defeat Miami just as Akron did on Tuesday.

The Flashes (17-8, 10-4 Mid-American Conference) are attempting to bounce back from their loss at Bowling Green by defeating Miami at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the tail end of the Kent State basketball double-header. The men’s team will face the RedHawks earlier in the day at the M.A.C. Center.

Because it’s the team’s last game of the regular season, it’s dedicated to the senior players. The four seniors, Lindsay Shearer, Malika Willoughby, Kacie Vavrek and Tiffany Kelly, will be honored before tip-off.

Earlier this season, the Flashes defeated the RedHawks, 83-76, in overtime at Miami.

Miami (8-17, 3-11 MAC) has lost nine of their last 11 games and are ranked No. 5 in the MAC East Division. With the loss to Akron earlier this week, the RedHawks are now only ahead one game on the Zips in the standings.

The MAC East title officially belongs to Bowling Green with Wednesday’s, 62-50, victory, while the Flashes have secured the No. 2 position. Buffalo and Ohio are tied for the No. 3 spot as each have a 4-10 MAC record.

While the Flashes have the advantage over the RedHawks in most statistics, they do not have the edge in rebounding. Miami has the best offensive rebounders in the MAC.

Leading the Miami charge is senior Cindi Merrill who is looking to be the first Miami player to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in Miami school history. She currently has 1,446 points, but still needs six rebounds to hit the 500 mark.

This season the Flashes are 6-1 in games after a loss and are 10-1 at the M.A.C. Center.

Contact women’s basketball reporter Deanna Stevens at [email protected].