Kent State freshman forward Nila Blackford leads the team in scoring (15 points per game) and rebounding (7.3). (File photo by KentWired’s Savannah Monks.)
Bowling Green (1-7 and last in MAC, 8-12 overall)
at Kent State (4-4 and 6th in MAC, 11-8 overall)
7 p.m. Wednesday at the M.A.C. Center. General admission tickets are $5. Students are free with Kent State ID. Average home attendance for Kent State is 1,010 in MAC games, seventh in the league.
What’s at stake
A win would give Kent State the same 5-4 conference record and 12-8 overall record that it had at this point last season. The Flashes went 6-3 in the second half of MAC play, won one game in the league tournament and the WNIT and finished 20-13.
Bowling Green went an encouraging 7-5 in non-conference play but has only beaten Western Michigan in MAC play. The Falcons lost two conference games in overtime and two other games by fewer than seven points. The Falcons have beaten Kent State twice in the last two years, though both times were in Bowling Green.
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What to watch
Kent State should get starting point guard Asiah Dingle back from a two-game suspension. She’s the Flashes’ second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game and leads the team in assists and steals. KSU split its two games with her out of the lineup.
Bowling Green ranks second in league in field-goal and 3-point percentage. 6-2 junior forward Angela Perry leads the MAC in shooting percentage at 56.5 Madisen Parker, a 5-9 junior guard, is second in the league in 3-point percentage at 45.0. Sophomore guard Katie Hempfling is third in the conference in assists at 5.0 per game; BG leads the league in assists.
But the Falcons are last in the conference in scoring defense, 10th in field-goal defense, 11th in rebounding margin and 10th in turnover margin.
Kent State is last in field-goal percentage and third in turnover margin. The Flashes are fourth in field-goal defense but last in 3-point defense.
The game is likely to come down as to which team plays better defense; it hasn’t been a strength for either.
Team comparisons
All statistics are conference games only, which are more current and reflect similar competition.
- RPI: Kent State 113 of 351 Division I teams. Bowling Green 231. (RPI is based on a team’s record and schedule strength.)
- Power rankings: Kent State 128. Bowling Green 250. (Adds factors like margin of victory, record in recent games, injuries.)
- Kent State home record (MAC games): 2-2. Bowling Green away record: 0-3.
- Scoring average: KSU 11th in MAC at 67.0 points per game. Bowling Green seventh at 68.1.
- Defensive average: KSU fourth at 67.9. Bowling Green last at 75.8.
- Field-goal percentage: KSU last at 39.2 (sixth on 3-pointers at 32.7%). Bowling Green second at 43.1 (second on 3s at 33.5%).
- Field-goal defense: KSU fourth at 39.4 (last on 3s at 42.1%). Bowling Green 10th at 45.3 (fourth on 3s at 29.6).
- Free throw shooting: Kent State second at 72.9%. Bowling Green seventh at 67.5.
- Rebounding margin: KSU last at -4.1. Bowling Green 11th at -3.6.
- Turnover margin: KSU third at +2.4. Bowling Green 10th at -3.1. KSU sixth in steals at 6.9. Bowling Green last at 5.9.
- Assists: Kent State last at 10.0. Bowling Green first at 16.1.
- Blocked shots: Kent State second at 4.1. Bowling Green last at 1.4.
Top players
Kent State
- 6-2 freshman forward Nila Blackford (15.0 points, 7.3 rebounds per game).
- 5-4 sophomore guard Asiah Dingle (13.5 points, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals).
- 5-6 senior guard Megan Carter (13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds).
- 5-11 freshman guard Katie Shumate (12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 48.0% three-point shooting).
- 6-2 sophomore forward Lindsey Thall (8.8 points, 1.6 three-point baskets a game, first in MAC in blocked shots at 2.4 per game).
Bowling Green
- 6-2 junior forward Angela Perry (14.1 points, leads MAC in field-goal percentage at 56.5)
- 5-9 junior guard Madisen Parker (13.0 points, first in MAC in 3-point baskets per game at 3.4, second in 3-point percentage at 45.0.)
- 5-9 sophomore guard Katie Hempfling (9.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, third in MAC in assists at 5.0). points, 1.7 assists.)
Following the game from home
Video stream on ESPN+ starts at game time at 7 p.m. Service costs $4.99 a month and includes about half of all MAC men’s and women’s games. (Others are mostly on ESPN3, which is free.) This link takes you to to the game, where you can sign up. David Wilson is the play-by-play announcer with former KSU player Amanda Sape doing commentary.
Audio starts at about 6:45 p.m. on WHLO 640 and Golden Flash iHeart Radio. Dan Griffin is the announcer.
Live statistics will be on the Kent State website during the game.
Links
Kent State website, with links to roster, statistics, schedule and more.
Bowling Green website, with links.