Flashes will try to break 3-game losing streak at Toledo, part of strong West Division

The Kent State women finish up a very tough four-game stretch with a trip to Toledo Wednesday.

The Rockets are 13-6 and 4-3 in the MAC West. Their RPI of 45 is third best in the conference.

Kent State has lost three in a row and heads into the game 9-10 and 2-5 in the conference.  Two of those losses were to the West’s best teams — Central Michigan and Ball State, both 15-3. Central is the only team undefeated in MAC play at 6-0.

Strangely, Kent State’s two conference wins have come against the team with the third best record in the MAC — Eastern Michigan (9-9 and 5-2). The Flashes beat Eastern by seven points in Ypsilanti and in Kent. I say strangely because Eastern has beaten Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Bowling Green, all teams KSU lost to. It’s also a surprising development that EMU, which had the MAC’s worst non-conference record against mediocre competition, has one of the league’s best conference records.

Toledo and Eastern are among five West Division teams with winning records in the MAC. In the East, only Buffalo (5-1, 15-3) and Ohio (10-8, 4-3) are above .500. In inter-divisional games this season, the West is 18-8 against East teams.

Toledo has lost conference games to Buffalo, Ohio and Eastern Michigan, all on the road. The Rockets are 9-0 at home this season and have a 15-game winning streak at Savage Arena.

Three Toledo players average in double figures, including 6-2 junior center Kayla McIntyre (15.2 points per game, ninth in the MAC). She is also seventh in the conference in rebounding (8.0 per game), first in field-goal shooting (63 percent) and sixth in blocked shots per game (1.5). Jan-Ann Bravo-Harriott, a 5-10 senior guard, averages 11.5 and junior guard Mikaela Boyd averages 11.1 Kent State coach Todd Starkey calls the Toledo roster one of the deepest and most athletic in the MAC.

As a team, Toledo is fourth in the conference in scoring defense 64.8 points per game), sixth in field-goal percentage defense (39.8), and second in three-point defense (28.7 percent).

Kent State is sixth in the conference in scoring defense (65.3) and second in rebounding margin (plus-5.3). Senior forward Jordan Korinek is third in the conference in scoring at 19.5 points per game). sophomore guard Megan Carter (13.4) and grad student forward McKenna Stephens (10.3) also average in double figures.

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 Toledo website.

Kent State website, including links to statistics, roster, schedule/results, record book and more.

Toledo website, including links. Detailed media game notes.

MAC statistics, including standings.