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KSU's women's basketball team hopes to make noise in postseason return

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Special to the Record-Courier
March 19, 2010

 

Special to the Record-Courier

The Kent State women’s basketball team makes its return to postseason play tonight when the Golden Flashes (20-10) face the University of Michigan (17-13) at 7 p.m. at Crisler Arena in the first round of the 2010 WNIT.

Kent State’s postseason berth is the seventh trip to postseason play since the 1982 season, and first since its appearance in the 2004 WNIT. This is just the second appearance in the WNIT for Kent State.

The winner of the Kent State-Michigan matchup will advance to face the winner of Toledo-Pittsburgh. Game date and time for the second-round contest has yet to be determined.

Kent State’s bid for a 12th trip to the Mid-American Conference championship game fell just short last week, as the third-seeded Golden Flashes (20-10) dropped a 51-49 decision to No. 2 Toledo (24-7) in the MAC semifinals on March 12 at Quicken Loans Arena. Junior Jamilah Humes led all scorers with 16 points, while classmate Taisja Jones recorded her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Lorriane Odhiambo led KSU with a game-high 13 boards.

Junior guard Jamilah Humes became the first Kent State player to earn MAC All-Tournament accolades since the 2005-06 season when she was selected to the five-player postseason squad. Although Kent State bowed out in the semifinals, Humes was impressive with 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game in the MAC Tournament.

Meanwhile, Michigan finished the Big Ten Conference season with an 8-10 record, good for a tie for sixth overall. In the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines posted a 67-54 win over Northwestern before falling to instate rival Michigan State March 5, 61-50.

Against the Spartans in the Big Ten quarterfinals, Krista Phillips led the way with 12 points while Carmen Reynolds added 10 points. Michigan shot 15-of-16 from the free throw line, but were plagued with 31.4 percent shooting from the field in the setback.

Kent State has faced Michigan just twice previously in a pair of contests in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines tallied a 71-53 win during the 1980-81 season before a 79-63 victory the following year.

KENT STATE NOTEBOOK

• Kent State is 84-87 (.491 winning percentage) against the teams that make up the WNIT field.

• The Golden Flashes are 5-24 all-time against the Big Ten; Kent State has wins against Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Michigan State (1) and Purdue (2).

•Kent State is 0-2 all-time against Michigan, but have not faced the Wolverines since the 1981-82 season. The two teams had just one common opponent this season in Ball State; Michigan defeated the Cardinals 87-67 Nov. 13 while Kent State posted a 72-63 win Jan. 23.

• For the first time in Mid-American Conference history, five teams will participate in postseason play: Bowling Green (NCAA), Toledo (WNIT), Kent State (WNIT) Eastern Michigan (WNIT) and Akron (WBI).

 




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