Clare Kelly (20) passes to Nila Blackford. Kelly is 12th in MAC in 3-point percentage at 37.4%. Blackford is sixth in overall field-goal percentage at 47.9%. (File photo by Hayley Steffy of KSU Athletic Communications.)
Three weeks ago, Kent State lost to Bowling Green 80-79 in a meeting between what was then the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference standings.
The two teams meet again at BG on Wednesday in the first game of the last week of the regular season. The game is on ESPN+. Online radio is on the Kent State Radio network.
Since then, BG (13-3 MAC, 17-4 overall) has won two games, had two games canceled because of COVID-19 on the other teams, and clinched the league title.
After the BG game, Kent State lost its next two games, then won three in a row, then lost Saturday at the buzzer to last-place Bowling Green.
The Flashes (9-5, 10-8 overall) are in fourth place. But the MAC race is so close that they could finish anywhere between second and eighth, depending on the results of the league’s last two games.
On Saturday, 11th-place Akron visits Kent State in the final game of the season. The MAC Tournament starts next Wednesday at Rocket Mortage Arena in Cleveland. Because of COVID, no fans will be allowed for Wednesday’s quarterfinals, but limited attendance will be allowed for Friday’s semifinals and Saturday’s finals.
Bowling Green is the second-best defensive team in the conference, allowing just 63 points a game. But the 79 points KSU scored in February equaled the most any team has scored against the Falcons this season. The 72 points Kent scored in regulation in that game was the fourth-high any team has scored against BG.
The Falcons won the game at Kent on a layup by Angela Perry with two seconds to go. BG’s Nyla Hampton blocked a shot attempt by Kent State’s Nila Blackford at the buzzer that could have won the game for the Flashes.
BG guard Lexi Fleming is the overwhelming favorite for MAC freshman of the year. She averages 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Guards Kadie Hempfling (12.5 points per game, 6.2 rebounds) and Elissa Brett (10.7 points, 6.5 rebounds) are the Falcons’ top rebounders.
Bowling Green leads the MAC in turnover margin (plus-6.24) and steals per game (11.05).
Kent State ranks 10th in the league is turnover margin (minus-3.18) and last in steals (5.71). But in the first meeting between the teams, the Flashes committed 12 turnovers, BG 13.
Blackford, a 6-2 sophomore forward from Louisville, leads KSU in scoring (16.0 points per game) and rebounding (10.7) She is third in the conference in rebounding and has 11 double-doubles in 14 MAC games.
Sophomore guard Katie Shumate averages 12.3 points a game, and junior forward Lindsey Thall averages 11.2. Thall leads the MAC in blocked shots (1.6 per game) for the third year in a row.
MAC Standings
Through games of Saturday, Feb. 27
| MAC W-L | Pct. | MAC Home | MAC Away | All games | |
| BGSU | 12-3 | .800 | 7-1 | 5-2 | 16-4 |
| Ohio | 10-5 | .667 | 5-2 | 5-3 | 12-6 |
| CMU | 11-6 | .647 | 4-4 | 7-2 | 13-8 |
| Kent St | 9-5 | .643 | 5-1 | 4-4 | 10-7 |
| Ball St | 11-7 | .611 | 2-6 | 9-1 | 13-9 |
| Buffalo | 9-6 | .600 | 4-2 | 5-4 | 12-8 |
| EMU | 7-5 | .583 | 2-4 | 5-1 | 10-7 |
| NIU | 9-7 | .563 | 5-3 | 4-4 | 11-10 |
| Toledo | 6-12 | .333 | 3-6 | 3-6 | 10-12 |
| WMU | 5-12 | .294 | 4-4 | 1-8 | 6-13 |
| Akron | 3-13 | .188 | 1-6 | 2-7 | 6-13 |
| Miami | 3-15 | .167 | 2-8 | 1-7 | 4-18 |
Wednesday MAC games
- Ohio at Akron.
- Toledo at Western Michigan.
- Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois.
- Central Michigan at Ball State.
- Miami at Buffalo.
- Kent State at Bowling Green.