Recap: Women’s basketball adds five then drops two heading into spring semester

Jacob Hansen, Sports Editor

After winning five-straight games, the women’s basketball team lost its latest two games in Mid-American Conference play. 

Kent State is now 10-5 and sixth in the MAC at 2-2. Bowling Green is currently first in the MAC with a 14-2 record and a 3-1 conference record.

Kent State vs. Otterbein — Dec. 20

Kent State won its first game of winter break with a 97-36 victory. The Flashes had five double-digit scorers.

Freshman guard Corynne Hauser led the team with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. 

The Flashes shot 52.2 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three in the game. 

Kent State’s defense forced 25 turnovers with 13 team steals and six team blocks.

This was KSU’s second-highest scoring total of the season.  

Kent State vs. Coppin State — Dec. 31

The New Year’s Eve matchup ended in a 72-69 overtime victory for the Flashes.

The entire starting lineup for Kent State had double-digit scoring.

Graduate student forward Lindsey Thall was the team’s leading scorer with 15 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. 

Senior guard Katie Shumate had a double-double in this game with 11 points, 10 rebounds and a steal. 

KSU shot 44 percent from the three-point line. The team has averaged 34 percent from three on the season. 

Kent State vs. Buffalo — Jan. 4

Senior guard Clare Kelly scored with one second left in the game to help Kent State pick up a 64-63 victory over Buffalo to kick off MAC play. 

Kelly inbounded, passing to Thall towards the corner, where Thall hit a backdoor pass to Kelly. Kelly then took the pass and hit a layup for the win. 

The Flashes scored 22 second-chance points on 12 offensive rebounds, being the difference maker in this game. 

Thall led the team in scoring with 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. 

Kent State vs. Ohio — Jan. 7

The Flashes picked up their fifth-straight win in a 60-44 victory over Ohio. 

Sophomore forward Bridget Dunn had her best game of the season so far. She led the team with 14 points, adding nine rebounds, a block and a steal, coming off the bench. 

The team struggled offensively, shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from three.

The defense kept the team in the game, forcing 14 turnovers on nine team steals and five team blocks. 

Kent State vs. Miami (OH) — Jan. 11

KSU had its first loss in over a month in an 84-76 overtime defeat to Miami. 

Hauser had a season and collegiate-high 23 points with five assists, two rebounds, a block and a steal. Graduate student guard Hannah Young had 20 points with seven rebounds and five steals. 

The team forced 21 turnovers on 13 steals and four blocks. 

Despite the defensive success, the Flashes gave up 32 points in the paint and 15 second-chance points. 

Kent State vs. Toledo — Jan. 14

Kent State lost its second-straight game in a 77-68 loss to Toledo.

Senior guard of Toledo Quinesha Lockett could not be stopped, scoring 36 points with six rebounds, two assists and a block. 

Hauser led the Flashes with 18 points, adding four rebounds, three assists and a steal. 

KSU could not stop Toledo’s offense — the Rockets Shot 50.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. 

Kent State struggled offensively, shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from behind the arc. 

Up next: Eastern Michigan

Kent State plays the Eagles at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the M.A.C.C.  

Eastern Michigan is ninth in the MAC. Sophomore guard Lachelle Austin leads the team with 175 points. 

Jacob Hansen is sports editor. Contact him at [email protected]