Kent State’s Asiah Dingle Drives on Duquesne’s Amanda Kalin during Tuesday’s game, won by KSU 77-75. Dingle had 12 points, four assists and two steals. (Photo by David Dermer.)
Both Kent State and Youngstown State got the victories they wanted in their openers.
Now the teams meet Saturday in the second big road challenge for the Flashes this season. The game is at 1 p.m. in the Beeghley Center at YSU.
A second-half rally brought KSU from 13 points behind to a 77-75 win at Duquesne Tuesday. Senior Megan Carter hit a four-foot floater with 0.2 seconds to go for the game-winning basket.
Youngstown routed Canisius 87-59 behind a triple-double from junior guard Chelsea Olson, who had 13 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
This game should be very different for the Penguins. Canisius hasn’t had a winning season since 2008-09 and had lost to YSU three straight times.
Kent State has beaten Youngstown all three years Todd Starkey has been head coach. Last year KSU destroyed the Penguins 62-34 in Kent, the Flashes’most lopsided win of the year against a Division I team and the most lopsided loss of the year for YSU.
KSU held Youngstown to 17.2% shooting in that game. Carter led the Flashes with 20 points; Mariah Modkins, starting in place of an injured Asiah Dingle, had 14.
Youngstown State went on to a 22-10 season and a berth in the WNIT. The Penguins were 15-1 at home last season.
The Penguins lost their top two scorers from last season to graduation but have added 5-5 transfer guard Ny’Dajah Jackson from Providence, who led YSU in scoring with 22 points Tuesday. 5-8 redshirt freshman guard Taylor Petit scored 15 and 6-3 senior forward Mary Dunn had 13. Dunn was first-team all-Horizon League last remember; Olson was second team.
Here’s link to YSU story on Canisius game, which in turn links to the box score, comments from coach John Barnes and players, the team roster and schedule and more.
Like Duquesne, Youngstown is a successful program, averaging 18 wins a season over the last five years.
Against Duquesne, five Kent State players scored in double figures, something that happened only once last season. Sophomore forward Lindsay Thall scored 22, freshman guard Katie Shumate 17, Dingle and Carter each had 12, and freshman forward Nila Blackford had 11. Blackford led the Flashes with nine rebounds.
KSU made 52.6% of its 3-point shots, include five of six in the second half. Thall made six of nine, one basket off the school record. Shumate made two of two.
In the second half, Kent State shot 53.9% overall and outrebounded Duquesne 17-15 after being beaten on the boards 29-13 in the first half.. In the game, KSU forced 21 Duquesne turnovers and scored 24 points off of them.
To follow the game
The game is at 1 p.m. at the Beeghly Center, which is at 224 W. Spring St. in Youngstown. It’s “Food Can Drive” game. Tickets are $5 if you bring a canned good. Others, they are $12. Here is information on tickets, parking and more from the YSU website.
Audio starts at about 12:45 p.m. on Golden Flash iHeart Radio.
Video is streamed on ESPN3, which is a free streaming service if you get EPSN.
Live statistics during the game are available through Youngstown State website.
Kent State team site, which has links to roster, schedule, statistics and more.
Youngstown State site, with links.