Kent State plays Wednesday at Bowling Green, a team that had one of the MAC’s better non-conference records but with one of the worst in-conference records.
The Falcons started the season 8-3 but are 1-4 in the MAC (9-7 overall). They won their first league game Saturday, coming from 12 down in the fourth quarter to beat Akron, 66-64. Akron is the only winless team in the conference.
It is Kent State’s second straight away game and part of a stretch in which they play four of five games on the road. Saturday they’re home against 15-2 Ball State. Next week they play at 12-5 Toledo and 6-10 Akron.
KSU is 2-3 in the conference (9-8 overall), with both wins coming over Eastern Michigan. Eastern is the surprise team of the MAC, beating Toledo at home and Bowling Green and Miami on the road after posting the league’s worst non-conference record and RPI.
Bowling Green’s RPI is 130, a little worse than Kent State’s 120 (of 349 Division I teams). Both teams beat Eastern Kentucky, Detroit and Robert Morris in non-conference play. BG’s best non-conference win probably was over Xavier, which is 8-10.
Bowling Green is led by 5-10 junior guard Carly Santoro, who averages a double-double at 14.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. Second in both categories is sophomore forward Andrea Cecil at 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Here’s how the two teams rank in MAC statistics:
SCORING OFFENSE: Bowling Green is ninth at 65.1 points a game, Kent State 11th at 64.6. Ball State leads the conference at 82.6.
SCORING DEFENSE: Kent State is sixth at 64.8 points per game, BG 11th at 68.2. Akron is first at 63.2.
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE: KSU is eighth at 40.8 percent, BG 10th at 37.8. Central Michigan is first at 45.4.
FIELD GOAL DEFENSE: Kent State eighth at 40.6 percent, Bowling Green ninth at 41.4. Buffalo is first at 36.7.
THREE-POINT SHOOTING: KSU is seventh at 32.2 percent, Bowling Green eighth at 31.9. Central is first at 38.9.
THREE-POINT BASKETS PER GAME: Kent is 11th at 5.2, BG sixth at 7.5. Central is first at 9.9.
THREE-POINT DEFENSE: Kent State is sixth at 30.2 percent, BG 11th at 35.2. Buffalo is first at 28 percent.
FOUL SHOOTING: KSU is third at 74.6 percent, Bowling Green fourth at 71.4. Central is first at 83.3.
REBOUNDING MARGIN: Kent State is second at plus-5.1. BG is ninth at plus-0.1. Central is first at plus-9.9.
TURNOVER MARGIN: KSU is 12th at minus-3.3, Bowling Green seventh at plus-0.2. Ohio is first at plus-10.5.
Kent State’s Jordan Korinek leads the MAC in scoring at 20.4 points per game and is tied with teammate McKenna Stephens for 13th in rebounding at 6.1. Korinek is third in the conference in free-throw percentage at 83.2. She has shot 39 more than anyone else in the conference and made 41 more. Alexa Golden is 10th in free-throw percentage at 80.2. No other Kent State player is in the top 10 in any category.
Full MAC team and individual statistics, including standings.
To follow the game
Action starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Video is on ESPN3. You can follow it online if your subscribe to ESPN on cable or on satellite.
Audio starts at about 6:45 p.m. on Golden Flash iHeart Radio.
Live statistics will be available through the Bowling Green website.
Kent State website, including links to statistics, roster, schedule/results, record book and more.
Bowling Green website, including links.