Junior guard Jenna Batsch hit a career-high in scoring for the second game in a row, this time with 16 points. She had 15 against the University of Louisiana on Sunday. (Photo by David Dermer for the KSU athletic department.)
For 22 minutes, things couldn’t have gone any better for the Kent State women in their matchup against defending national champion Louisiana State. Behind 19 points from redshirt senior Katie Shumate, the Flashes led 42-41.
But then LSU showed why its athleticism and talent is as good as any team in the country. The Tigers shot 72% in the second half, stole the ball 13 times (20 total in the game) and scored 32 points off of Kent State turnovers. Freshman Mikayiah Williams — playing on a team with three all-Americans — scored 32 points in second half and 42 for the game.
Kent State is 1-1 on the season. LSU is 3-1.
“There’s a lot to gain from this experience,” coach Todd Starkey said. “We can certainly get confidence from the first 25 or 30 minutes of the game, from being able to mix it up with very talented players and really compete.”
Kent State hit seven 3-point baskets in the first half — four by Shumate and three by Bridget Dunn. LSU was 0-for-5 on 3-pointers.
Shumate and the Flashes played so well that on X (formerly Twitter), national commentator Rebecca Lobo called it a “highly entertaining matinee” and cited Shumate’s 17 first-half points.
In a reply, Starkey said Shumate was “an honor to coach.”
In a postgame interview, Starkey said:
“I can’t say that I was surprised, but I was definitely impressed” by Shumate’s performance.
“Katie’s very capable against anybody,” Starkey said. “She could play at any level and have success. And when she’s focused like that and determined, she’s a really, really talented player.”
Shumate’s statistical line for the game: 22 points (7-of-14 shooting, 4-of-7 on 3s), 11 rebounds (seven offensive and four defensive), two steals, an assist and a blocked shot.
Shumate was complimented by another good game by junior guard Jenna Batsch.
Batsch set a new career high with 15 points in Sunday’s 64-55 victory against the University of Louisiana. Against LSU, she scored 16. Fourteen on those game in the second half on 5-of-6 shooting and 2-of-3 three-pointers.
Dunn had 11 points and three 3-pointers for Kent. Corynne Hauser had seven points and four assists, and sophomore Dionna Gray and freshman Mya Babbitt had six points on two 3-pointers each.
LSU’s Williams, Starkey said, played “as good of a half of basketball offensively that I’ve ever seen from an individual player that I’ve coached against.”
“We actually had a lot of possessions where we played great defense on her, and she was hitting contested, pull-up, fadeaway jump shots from 17 feet. She was hitting 25-foot 3-point shots with people with a hand in her face. When a player’s just playing like that, all you can say, ‘Congratulations.’
Wiliams line: 42 points (an LSU record for a freshman), seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Finally, some overpowering numbers in favor of LSU:
- Points off turnovers: LSU 42 off 28 Kent State errors. (KSU scored eight off 13 LSU turnovers).
- Points in the paint: 58. (Kent 14).
- Second-chance points: 24. (KSU 14).
- Fast break points: 32. (Kent 8).