Almost everything Kent State did well in its Friday upset of UCLA went badly in the second half against Massachusetts on Saturday.
The Flashes made only 22.9% of their second-half shots. (They made 50% against UCLA). Massachusetts outscored KSU 11-0 off second-half turnovers. (The Flashes outscored UCLA 11-7 for the game.) Massachusetts had 29 second-chance points and 24 points in the paint in the second half. KSU outscored UCLA 12-7 on second chances and 28-18 in the paint.
Defense, hot shooting send Kent State past No. 19 UCLA 75-69
Massachusetts played more physically and played better defense, things KSU did very well on Friday.
So after leading by eight points at halftime, the Flashes fell 72-64 for their first loss of the season. Massachusetts is 7-0 and will play in the Gulf Coast Showcase finals Sunday against No. 13 Iowa State, which Penn State 93-59 Saturday. Kent State (4-1) will play Penn State for third place at 5 p.m. The game will be streamed on FloHoops, which costs $29.99 a month. If you subscribe to watch the game, make sure you cancel afterwards.
“We did not play very good basketball, to be honest,” coach Todd Starkey said in his postgame interview with broadcaster David Wilson. “We didn’t finish around the basket, and our toughness in the paint wasn’t nearly what it was yesterday.
“As good as we were at following a scouting report yesterday, we had some real lapses in focus with some of the things on the scout today.
“It was a really physical second half. We didn’t handle their pressure with the poise we should have. I thought they played tougher than we did.
“I thought we had an opportunity to win this game, but we kind of squandered it. All the way around, we have to be better than that.”
Kent State led 35-27 at halftime, outscoring Massachusetts 16-3 over the last six minutes of the second quarter. Two steals and two baskets by junior transfer Abby Ogle were key in that run.
But the Flashes missed their first four shots of the second half and committed four turnovers. Massachusetts tied the game at 35, and It was tied at 48 going into the fourth quarter. Massachusetts took the lead for good with eight minutes to go and Kent State didn’t get closer than five over the last four minutes.
Massachusetts blocked five shots in the quarter, including three in a row at one point.
Lindsey Thall scored 22 points for Kent State, but no other KSU player scored more than eight.
“She needed some help,” Starkey said. “The big thing we’ve been able to do is get a balanced scoring. We’ve had four and five in double figures most of the season. Today it was only one. And that’s a recipe for failure for us.”
Thall made 7-of-15 shots, 4-of-8 three-point attempts and 4-of-4 free throws. She had nine rebounds, three assists and a steal.
For the season, Thall has made 17-of-30 three-pointers for 56.7%.
Nila Blackford, who averaged a double-double last season, had 11 rebounds, her best of the season. But she was 2-of-12 shooting. Casey Santoro, who had led KSU in scoring going into the tournament, was 2-of-11. She and Katie Shumate each scored eight points.
Kent State missed 16 of its 23 layups, though many of those were heavily contested in the paint.
The Flashes outrebounded Massachusetts 42-36. They have outrebounded every opponent so far this season.
UCLA lost its second-round game to South Dakota State 76-66.