Flashes (8-2) travel to Western Michigan (6-3) for Saturday game

Kent State, 0-1 in the Mid-American Conference after an opening loss at home to Toledo, takes to the road to play Western Michigan Saturday afternoon.

The game starts at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN3. The Kent State Radio Network streams audio, starting at about 12:45 p.m. Live statistics during and after the game can be found on the WMU website.

Western Michigan’s scheduled conference opener at Ball State Wednesday was postponed because of COVID protocols. It wasn’t clear which team (or both) had coronavirus problems. Three other MAC games were postponed Wednesday.

As of Thursday night, one MAC game scheduled — Ohio’s Sunday afternoon game at Miami — for this weekend had been postponed. It is the second postponement for both teams.

Western Michigan went 6-3 in non-conference games, its best start in five years. The Broncos beat St. Mary’s of the WAC (6-5) 76-67 on the road, along with three other teams with losing records and two non-Division I teams. They lost by eight points at Purdue, which is currently 9-4, and 10 points at Indiana (10-3).

WMU was picked to finish 10th in the Mid-American Conference, the same spot it placed last season.

The Broncos start four sophomores, led by 5-10 guard Lauren Ross and 6-2 forward Taylor Williams. Ross is averaging 20.6 points a game, third in the MAC. She played in only four games last season before being injured, averaging 9 points. Williams made the MAC’s all-freshman team and was honorable mention all-MAC last season. This year she’s averaging 13.4 points and 9.0 rebounds, similar to the numbers she put up last season.

All about the MAC

Kent State is 8-2 after its 69-60 loss to Toledo. That’s still the best overall record in the conference. Here’s a quick look at the league, listed by overall record.

KENT STATE (8-2, 0-1 MAC).

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: fourth.
• NET ranking: 105 of 356 teams.
• Schedule strength: 57.
• Best wins: 75-69 over UCLA, 81-74 over Penn State. Best loss: 72-64 vs. Massachusetts (12-2).
• Key statistics: 40.6 three-point shooting percentage, fifth in Division I and first in MAC. +10.8 rebounding margin, 17th in Division I and first in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Casey Santoro (13.8 points per game, 52.9% on 3-pointers), forward Lindsey Thall (13.1 points, 7.0 rebounds).

TOLEDO (7-3, 1-0).

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: eighth.
• NET ranking: 73.
• Schedule strength: 232.
• Best wins: 69-60 at Kent State (8-2). 79-58 over Idaho State (3-6). Best loss: 69-60 at Dayton (8-3).
• Key statistics: Allows 58.6 points per game, best in MAC. Opponents’ field-goal percentage: 35.6, best in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Quinesha Lockett (17.8 points, sixth in MAC, 2.0 steals), guard Sophia Wiard (4.2 assists).

BALL STATE (7-3, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: ninth.
• NET ranking: 115.
• Schedule strength: 223.
• Best win: 73-67 over IUPUI (5-2). Best losses: 71-67 at Texas Tech (7-4), 64-54 vs. Pittsburgh (9-4).
• Key statistics: 17.5 assists per game, first in MAC. Turnover margin: +5.8, second in MAC.
• Key players: Forward Anna Slephane (17.2 points, eighth in MAC), guard Sydney Freeman (4.7 assists, third in MAC).

BUFFALO (7-4, 1-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: second.
• NET ranking: 59.
• Schedule strength: 40.
• Best wins: 69-55 over Rhode Island (8-3), 88-79 over Syracuse (8-5). Beat Central Michigan 92-75 in MAC opener.
• Key statistics: 77.1 points per game, first in MAC. +4.8 turnover margin, fourth in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Dyaisha Fair (21.7 points, first in MAC), forward Summer Hemphill (15.6 points, 8.5 rebounds).

OHIO (6-3, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: first.
• NET ranking: 95.
• Schedule strength: 125.
• Best wins: 73-62 over Cincinnati (7-5), 98-89 over Richmond (9-4). Best loss: 66-63 to Liberty (9-1).
• Key statistics: 81.6 points per game, first in MAC. +6.6 turnover margin, first in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Cece Hooks, last year’s MAC player of the year (21.3 points, second in MAC, 7.6 rebounds, seventh in MAC, 3.4 steals, first in MAC), wing Erica Johnson (20.3 points, fourth in MAC, 2.6 steals).

WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-3, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: 10th.
• NET ranking: 156.
• Schedule strength: 178.
• Best wins: 76-67 at St. Mary’s (6-5), 68-67 at Indiana State (5-6). Best losses: 70-62 at Purdue (9-4), 67-57 at No. 8 Indiana (10-2).
• Key statistics: Allows 60.3 points per game, second in MAC. Turnover margin of +5.2 is third in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Lauren Ross (20.6 points). Forwrd Taylor Williams (13.4 points, 9.0 rebounds).

BOWLING GREEN (5-4, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: second.
• NET ranking: 139.
• Schedule strength: 183.
• Best wins: 72-60 over Oakland (5-7), 67-52 over Tennessee-Martin (4-8). Best loss: 76-72 over Liberty (9-1).
• Key statistics: 72.2 points per game, fifth in MAC. 46.6% on field goals, first in MAC.
• Key players: Guard Morgan Sharps (50% 3-point shooting), guard Nyla Hampton (3.4 steals, tied for first in MAC). BG guard Lexi Fleming, last season’s MAC freshman of the year, was injured in preseason practice and is out for the year.

AKRON (3-3, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: 12th.
• NET ranking: 267.
• Schedule strength: 192.
• Best win: 60-50 at Robert Morris (4-6). Best loss: 57-55 at Youngstown State (9-1).
• Key statistics: Allows 62.0 points per game, fourth in MAC. Scores 63.3 points, 11th in MAC.
• Key player: Wing Jordyn Dawson (15.6 points, 3.0 steals).
• Four games canceled or postponed because of COVID.

MIAMI (4-5, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: 11th.
• NET ranking: 168.
• Schedule strength: 187.
• Best wins: 77-73 at Xavier (6-6), 81-73 over Evansville (5-4). Best loss: 82-76 at Purdue.
• Key statistics: First in 3-point defense in MAC at 25.8%. Last in field-goal defense at 43.6%.
• Key players: Guard Payton Scott (19.3 points, 6.7 rebounds), forward Jada Duckett (6.7 rebounds).

EASTERN MICHIGAN (3-4, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: fifth.
• NET ranking: 263.
• Schedule strength: 195.
• Best wins: 66-62 over Binghamton (2-6). Best loss: 70-67 vs. Youngstown State (9-1).
• Key statistics: Third in scoring at 76 point per game, second in field-goal percentage at 45.1%.
• Key players: Wing Areanna Combs (17.1 points), center Ce’Naara Skanes (9.4 rebounds, second in MAC, 54.7 field-goal percentage, first in MAC).
• Three games canceled or postponed.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (3-5, 0-0)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: seventh.
• NET ranking: 209.
• Schedule strength: 196.
• Best win: 69-50 over MIlwaukee (4-8). Best loss: 92-87 in overtime vs. Western Illinois (9-2).
• Key statistics: 10th in scoring at 69.8 points per game. 12 in points allowed at 77.1.
• Key players: Guard Shelby Koker (17.8 points, 96.6 free-throw percentage), forward A’Jah Davis 10.4 rebounds, first in MAC)
• Two games canceled or postponed.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN (2-8, 0-1)

• MAC coaches’ preseason prediction: sixth.
• NET ranking: 284.
• Schedule strength: 113.
• Best win: 56-50 over Marist (3-7). Best losses: 71-67 at Green Bay (6-4), 59-54 at Cincinnati (7-5).
• Key statistics:
• Key players: Guard Molly Davis (17.1 points, 4.8 assists, second in MAC), forward Jahari Smith (9.4 rebounds, third in MAC).
• Central has won four of the last five regular season MAC titles but lost three key seniors and 50% of its scoring to graduation. Among the losses was 2020 player of the year Mikaela Kelly.

Link to MAC statistics

The NET is the NCAA’s ranking system for teams. It combines a team’s record, its strength of schedule, its overall offensive and defense strength. A good road record and victories over good teams are rewarded. It’s among the criteria used to determine seedings for the NCAA tournaments and has replaced the once-popular RPI rankings.

Schedule strength is reported by WarrenNolan.com, a ranking service.