The women’s basketball team finishes its Big Ten road trip and non-conference schedule tonight at Minnesota.
The Flashes take on the 8-4 Golden Gophers, a team with the highest RPI on Kent State’s schedule, at 8 p.m. Kent time.
It’s a homecoming for Larissa Lurken, Kent State’s senior and leading scorer. She is from nearby Cottage Grove, Minnesota, where she set scoring records for her high school. Lurken leads the Mid-American Conference in scoring and is fifth in the nation with a 22.7 average. If she kept that up, it will be the highest average in Kent State history.
Lurken had 13 points last season when Kent State lost to Minnesota in Kent 85-73. It was one of the best games of the season for the Flashes, who led by eight points in the third quarter and were tied with four minutes to play. The Gophers were led then by all-American Rachel Banham, who averaged 28.6 points a game last season and was Big Ten player of the year.
Banham has graduated, but Minnesota still has an outstanding guard in Carlie Wagner, who averages 19.1 points a game. 6-3 center Jessie Edwards is averaging 8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds and was just named Big Ten player of the week.
Minnesota has played one of the country’s toughest non-conference schedule. The Gophers have lost to No. 6 South Carolina, No. 7 Florida State, 7-3 Georgia and 8-2 North Carolina. They have beaten 8-2 Georgetown, 8-1 Harvard and 8-2 Army and 7-2 Seton Hall. Its RPI, which is 75 percent based on strength of schedule, is 13th in the country.
Kent State is 6-5, having lost at Iowa 83-48 on Tuesday. Kent State led in that game 9-0 before Iowa went on a 37-4 run.
After tonight’s game, the Flashes go on Christmas break and will open the MAC season at 2 p.m. New Year’s Eve in the M.A.C. Center.
Kent State season statistics.
Preview from Minnesota website.
To follow the game
- Video starts at 8 p.m. on the BTN2Go network. (To watch, you’ll need to pay $14.95 for a monthly subscription. If you pay, make sure you cancel this month, or it will automatically renew.)
- Audio at about 7:45 on Golden Flash iHeart radio.
- Live statistics are available through the Minnesota website.
- In-game updates on Twitter at @KentStatwbb.
Wednesday MAC scores
Buffalo (9-0) 68, St. Bonaventure (5-7) 47 at Buffalo.
Elon (6-4) 65, Akron (6-4) 62 at Georgia State Holiday Classic.
Wright State (8-4) 65, Miami (5-7) 57 at Wright State Invitational.
Western Kentucky (8-4) 68, Ball State (6-5) 61 at Western Kentucky.
Toledo (9-2) 72, Detroit Mercy (4-7) 66 at Toledo.
Western Michigan (9-2) 64, Chicago State (0-12) 51 at Chicago State.
Eastern Michigan (5-7) 65, Air Force (2-9) 44 at Eastern.
Cleveland State (5-6) 64, Bowling Green (4-7) 56 at Bowling Green.