BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Kent State defeated Bowling Green, 82-74, Saturday at the Stroh Center to give head coach Todd Starkey his 300th career win. Starkey has won 135 games as the leader of the Golden Flashes and is now tied with Laurel Wartluft for the second most wins in program history.
Winners of three in a row, Kent State (13-5) has started Mid-American Conference play with a 7-1 record for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Redshirt senior Katie Shumate matched her season-high with 26 points while playing just 20 minutes due to foul trouble in the first half. Shumate took over in the second half and scored 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting after halftime.
Junior Jenna Batsch and freshman Janae Tyler also scored in double-figures for the Flashes. Batsch finished with 16 points and Tyler had 14 to help Kent State's bench outscore the Falcons 23-0.
The Flashes trailed 13-8 midway through the opening period as the Falcons made five of their first eight shots. Kent State then got hot and knocked down six of eight three-point attempts during a 27-13 run to lead by nine with 3:36 to play in the first half. Turnovers on four of the next five possessions allowed BG to get within 35-30 at the break.
Shumate and high school teammate Morgan Sharps, who scored a game-high 30 points, traded baskets over the first few minutes of the third quarter as the Falcons got within two points. The Flashes held their host without a field goal for nearly three minutes to follow as the lead extended to eight. BG made it a one-point game in the final minute of the quarter before sophomore Tatiana Thomas grabbed a key offensive rebound and scored to make it 53-50 entering the fourth.
A personal 5-0 run by Shumate early in the final period prevented the home crowd from erupting. After Kent State's lead was cut to two with under four minutes remaining, the Flashes scored on seven consecutive possessions to finish the game. Tyler scored three baskets during the stretch to push the lead back to eight, and Shumate added six free throws in the final minute.
Kent State held a 40-27 rebounding advantage and scored 16 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. Junior Bridget Dunn led the way with a game-high eight boards.
Sophomore Dionna Gray provided quality minutes with Shumate on the bench in the first half and finished with seven points and career-high six assists.
The Flashes will visit first-place Ball State on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
Be sure to follow Kent State Women's Basketball on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
