Photo from kentstatesports.com
Jordan Korinek is the second Kent State player since 2011 to be named MAC East player of the week.
Korinek’s honor was announced Tuesday by the league. The 6-2 junior forward scored 26 points in KSU’s 98-97 loss to Northern Illinois Wednesday and 24 points in the Flashes’ 68-65 victory at Ohio Saturday.
The only other Kent State player to earn the award in the last six years is senior Larissa Lurken, who received it twice this season and once last year.
Korinek, a preseason all-MAC East selection and last year’s leading scorer for the Flashes, got off to a slow start this season as she adapted to new coach Todd Starkey’s offense. But she’s averaged 20 points a game in KSU’s five conference games, third best in the MAC.
Korinek is critical to Kent’s offense. Starkey has said that KSU’s best games have been when the offense can go to Korinek in the post, then back out to the perimeter.
Foul trouble has hurt her and the Flashes this season and last. She has fouled out of two of Kent State’s 17 games this season and had four fouls in three more. Last season she had five fouls in five games and four in 13 of KSU’ s 29 games.
When she’s played less than 25 minutes this season, Kent State is 0-4. When she’s played more than 30, the Flashes are 5-3. Overall Kent is 8-9 so far this season.
Korinek is almost certain to become Kent State’s 21st 1,000-point scorer this season. She has 903 with 14 games to go.
Korinek also has won the MAC’s Student Athlete of the Week two weeks in a row, something I never remember happening before for any player in the conference. The award goes to student-athletes who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and perform well during a week’s competition. Korinek has a 4.0 average in special education.
She was an all-Ohio Division II player at Akron’s St. Vincent St. Mary High School and is from Cuyahoga Falls. Her older sister, Morgan, is an assistant coach at Kenyon College.
Key Korinek statistics:
- Points per game: 14.2, 15th in the MAC (20.2 and third in conference games only).
- Rebounds: 6.0, 19th (7.0 and 14th in the MAC).
- Offensive rebounds: 2.8, eighth (3.2, tied for fourth).
- Field goal percentage: 47.0, 12th (50.7 and ninth).
- Free throw percentage: 77.4, 11th (82.8 and 11th).
From last season:
- Points per game: 15.6, seventh in the MAC.
- Rebounds: 6.8, 11th.
- Offensive rebounds: 2.3, 11th.
- Defensive rebounds: 4.4, 11th.
- Field goal percentage: 54.3, fourth.
- Free throw percentage: 821, sixth.
Korinek’s biography from the Kent State website.
MAC release on players of the week and nominations.