The tea in British Columbia. (Photo from team Twitter feed.)
The KSU women put up their third overpowering victory on their trip to British Columbia Monday, trouncing Vancouver Island University 103-54.
The Flashes had won their first two games 90-68 over VK Select, a club team, and 94-54 over the University of British Columbia.
Sophomore point guard Asiah Dingle led KSU with 16 points, seven assists and four steals. In the three games, she scored 50 points (16.7 per game), had 20 assists (6.7) and 19 (6.3) steals in less than 25 minutes a game. Last season she averaged 12.9 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals.
As a team last season, the Flashes scored 65.6 points game and gave up 62.5. On the trip, they averaged 95.7 and gave up 58.7.
The competition this season will be much tougher than the trip. But the statistics do show the Flashes have a lot of offensive firepower and almost certainly will score more. Dingle, whose freshman assist total was low for a point guard, seems to have stepped up her passing game. She was runner-up for MAC freshman of the year last season.
The Flashes had five players score in double figures for the third game in a row.
Transfer Linsey Marchese scored in double figures for the third game in a row with 14 points on six of seven shooting. Marchese, a 6-4 center who played two years at Indiana, won’t be eligible until the 2020-21 regular season because of NCAA transfer rules.
Senior guard Megan Carter, KSU’s leading scorer last season, had her best game of the trip with 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and no turnovers. Sophomore guard Hannah Young scored 12 points on 4-for-4 three-point shooting.
The three Kent freshman continued to put up good numbers. Guard Clare Kelly had 11 points and made 3-of-5 three-pointers. Forward Nila Blackford shared the rebounding leadership with Carter at 10 and scored nine points. Wing Katie Shumate, who averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in KSU’s first two games, took only five shots. She scored five points, had two rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block.
Sophomore wing Annie Pavlansky, playing on her birthday, had seven points, four rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Mariah Modkins had three steals and four assists.
All 13 players who got into the game scored. Senior Ali Poole was hurt in practice last week and didn’t play on the trip.
Jay Fiorello, the assistant sports communication director for women’s basketball, emailed after midnight (Kent time) that wifi was spotty on the ferry from Vancouver Island and quotes from coach Todd Starkey and others wouldn’t be coming until later. I’ll add them Tuesday.
The team will spend the rest of the week sightseeing and return to Kent Friday.