From left: Corynne Hauser, Abby Ogle and Bridget Dunn charge toward the basket. (Photos by David Dermer.)
Kent State’s women spread its points around generously on Wednesday as it routed Coppin State 77-40.
The Flashes’ leading scorer — grad student forward Mikala Morris — just had 12 points, plus five rebounds and four assists. Behind her was another grad stduent, guard Katie Shumate, had 10 points, plus eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Nobody else scored in double figures, but four players scored eight points or nine points. In all, 12 of the 14 players on the roster scored at least two. Only Shumate and junior forward Jenna Batsch played more than 20 minutes.
At his postgame press conference, coach Todd Starkey pondered what having that depth meant for him, the team and individual players.
FINDING GOOD PLAYERS PLAYING TIME
“My biggest challenge this year is how to find good players playing time,” the coach said. “You just look down the bench, you sub in other players, they do something really well. And then we put more subs in, and then I have to get starters back in. It’s a nice problem to have, but it’s a real thing. Those players down the bench could probably start or play major minutes for other teams.
“Those players work just as hard and do the things that we’re asking starters to do. A lot of times, they don’t get the attention. So it’s really good to see those players come in and do well.”
PLAYING HARD ON DEFENSE
After the teams were tied 4-4 halfway through the first quarterr, Kent State ran off seven straight poinets, then outscored Coppin State by seven more in the second period and overwhelmed the Eagles 26-7 in the third.
Shumate credited defense, which provided six blocked shots, forced 15 turnovers and allowed only 14 points in the paint.
“That’s been a big emphasis for us — talking and playing hard on defense,” Shumate said. “I like the way that we’re playing connected with a lot of energy.
USING THE PAINT
On offense, the Flashes have found part of a solution to their struggles with 3-point shooting: Score close to the basket.
“What we’ve been able to rely on is in is the paint,” Starkey said. “Mikala Morris and Janae Tyler both are really doing a great job of establishing the paint. We want to play through them and look for paint touches and kick outs to rhythm 3s.”
Kent State has averaged 27% on 3-point shooting, though it made 32% on Wednesday. Morris and Tyler have averaged a combined 17.8 points this season.
Kent State is 4-2 on the season. Coppin State is 3-5. The Eagles did beat Pittsburgh 61-56 on Thursday. It was their first win over a Division I team in program history.
NEXT: AT NO. 15 FLORIDA STATE ON SUNDAY
The Flashes travel to Tallahassee for a 2 p.m. Sunday game against No. 15 Florida State, which had won its first five games before losing to Stanford on Friday.
At the M.A.C. Center last season, the Flashes led FSU into the fourth quarter before falling 80-71.