The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(12-08-2020 06:45 PM)cschierh Wrote:  Ohio game means Flashes play three games in five days this week.

They play at 5 p.m. Wednesday at St. Francis (PA), against Ohio at 2 p.m. Friday at the M.A.C.C., and at Toledo at 2 p.m. Sunday. Because of COVID-19, no fans are allowed at any of the games. All will be streamed, with links on the team website.

Ohio game was originally scheduled for last Saturday but was postponed, apparently because of COVID problems at Ohio.

Are you just assuming it was COVID at Ohio or was something announced (or an inside source?). Ohio’s men’s team played a home game Sunday, so I’m just curious.

Its also interesting they announced the reason for the football games but not for this one. I know both Ohio and Kent had COVID issues canceling last weeks football games, and this weeks game between the two as well.

(12-08-2020 07:51 PM)Eagle66 Wrote:  

(12-08-2020 06:45 PM)cschierh Wrote:  Ohio game means Flashes play three games in five days this week.

They play at 5 p.m. Wednesday at St. Francis (PA), against Ohio at 2 p.m. Friday at the M.A.C.C., and at Toledo at 2 p.m. Sunday. Because of COVID-19, no fans are allowed at any of the games. All will be streamed, with links on the team website.

Ohio game was originally scheduled for last Saturday but was postponed, apparently because of COVID problems at Ohio.

Are you just assuming it was COVID at Ohio or was something announced (or an inside source?). Ohio’s men’s team played a home game Sunday, so I’m just curious.

Its also interesting they announced the reason for the football games but not for this one. I know both Ohio and Kent had COVID issues canceling last weeks football games, and this weeks game between the two as well.

No inside source. But problem was unlikely to be at Kent State because they're playing four days later. And the Ohio team never left Athens while there were COVID problems on the football team. But there apparently was COVID on Kent's football team, too. I could be wrong, but it's my best idea.

No idea why we know about football COVID problems but not basketball. All the MAC scheduling changes seem to be coming out of the MAC office now.

I know it’s early but losing to St Francis Pa. 67-64 doesn’t give me a good feeling. We’ll see.

Saint Francis is a pretty good 1-4 team. Two losses were to Big Ten teams. Other two were by a total of 10 points, with Duquesne defeat coming at the buzzer.

Like the game, stats were pretty even. But the Flashes were killed 43-30 on boards, though KSU was a considerably taller team. 6-4 Indiana transfer Linsey Marchese got in early foul trouble and had only three rebounds for KSU.

Saint Francis also won game at foul line, where they were 18 of 22. Kent was 11 of 16 including two misses by Mariah Modkins with 36 seconds to play and KSU down by three.

Lindsey Thall had 17 points and seven rebounds for KSU. Nila Blackford had 13 and five rebounds. Modkins had nine points.

Flashes open MAC play Friday at 2 p.m. against Ohio at the M.A.C.C. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no fans are allowed.

Story on Saint Francis game is going up on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.colm.

cschierh: I just wanted to tell you I truly appreciate what you do to bring us the news on this program. Without your diligent work giving us a peek into what’s going on with them there is very little we could find anywhere. Anyway, thanks again!

I second what Polish Hammer said.

Thanks for the kind words, Polish Hammer and Muskrat.

The women play Ohio at 2 p.m. Friday in their home and MAC opener.

Fans aren't allowed, but game is live streamed on KSU website at https://boxcast.tv/view/kent-state-women...20-543185.

Ohio is 2-0 but hasn't played since it beat Notre Dame 86-85 on Nov. 27. Wing Erica Johnson has averaged 27.5 points through two games, guard Cece Hooks 25.0. That's the highest total average for two players on the same team in Division I.

Kent State is 0-2, losing Wednesday at Saint Francis 67-64. Lindsey Thall and Nila Blackford each average 11 points a game.

Longer preview is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

Nice win against Ohio today (84-80). I sure wish I can watch these games live. It’s almost like an imaginary season. Streaming, TV, radio just doesn’t cut it for me. Good to see Shumate play well. We need her.

(12-11-2020 05:47 PM)burden Wrote:  Nice win against Ohio today (84-80). I sure wish I can watch these games live. It’s almost like an imaginary season. Streaming, TV, radio just doesn’t cut it for me. Good to see Shumate play well. We need her.

Some of the numbers from the game are wild:

• Six players in double figures — Katie Shumate (18), Mariah Modkins (15), Clare Kelly and Casey Santoro (14), Nila Blackford (12) and Lindsey Thall (11).

• A school-record 16 3-point baskets, led by Kelly's four and three from Modkins, Shumate and Santoro. That's out of 28 shots, or 58%.

• 22 assists on 25 baskets. KSU had been last in the MAC in assists for the last two seasons. Modkins had seven, Thall four.

• The ninth straight game against Ohio that has been decided by fewer than eight points (six of them four points or fewer). Ohio was picked second in the MAC and beat Notre Dame two weeks ago.

• An eight-point possession for Kent State. Trailing 63-61 with 8:10 to go, they got a basket with a foul shot. Ohio was called for a technical, and KSU made the two free throws. Then the Flashes hit a 3-point shot after they took the ball out of bounds. KSU was up 69-63 and led for the rest of the game.

Shumate played 30 minutes after being in just 15 minutes in KSU's games against Ohio State and Saint Francis.

Kent State is 1-2 on the season and plays its second MAC game at Toledo at 2 Sunday. Ohio is 2-1.

This game was postponed from last Saturday. We know why now. Ohio coach Bob Boldon tweeted just before the game that he had had COVID-19 for more than a week. His associate head coach ran the team.

Game story is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

The women play at Toledo Sunday in their second MAC game in three days.

Game is at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

Toledo is 3-0, coming off an 82-79 road victory at Northern Illinois Thursday. Sophomore guard Sofia Wiard, who averaged 3.8 points a game last year, tied a school record with 42. She had scored in upper-double figures in the Rockets' first two games.

The Rockets start three sophomores and two freshmen.

Kent State is 1-2 after its 84-80 win over Ohio Saturday. Nila Blackford leads the Flashes in scoring at 11.3 points a game and in rebounding at 7.7.

Junior point guard Mariah averaged 10.7 points and leads the Flashes in 3-point shooting percentage (54.5) and in assists (3.7).

Preview is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

They won at Toledo this afternoon. They had an 18 point lead in the 3rd quarter. They then started missing and saw the lead go down to three but were able to hang on and win 61-57.

Four days ago, women were 0-2. Now they're 2-0 in the MAC and in first place.

On her birthday, Nila Blackford scored 21 points and had 15 rebounds to lead the Flashes.

Kent State outrebounded Toledo 48-28 with 15 offensive rebounds and a 13-0 margin on second-chance points.

Junior Mariah Modkins has surprised me with how well she's taken over the team at point guard. Generously listed at 5-1, Modkins had 10 points, three assists and three steals. She's averaging 10.5 points a game, only three fewer than Asiah Dingle averaged when she led KSU in scoring last season. Starkey had some nice things to say about Modkins on the blog.

Freshman guard Casey Santoro had nine points in her second-straight good game.

Junior Lindsey Thall had a career-high six assists (an awful lot for a forward), seven points and seven rebounds.

After setting a school record with 16 3-point baskets against Ohio Saturrday, KSU was 4 of 20 against Toledo. The Rockets were also 4 of 20.

Full story is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

For long-time fans: the last KSU player to have more than 20 points and 15 rebounds in a game was Anna Kowalska in 2007. She is now head coach at West Virginia Tech, an NAIA school.

this ksu women's basketball team.. wow!!

(12-13-2020 10:51 PM)cschierh Wrote:  Four days ago, women were 0-2. Now they're 2-0 in the MAC and in first place.

On her birthday, Nila Blackford scored 21 points and had 15 rebounds to lead the Flashes.

Kent State outrebounded Toledo 48-28 with 15 offensive rebounds and a 13-0 margin on second-chance points.

Junior Mariah Modkins has surprised me with how well she's taken over the team at point guard. Generously listed at 5-1, Modkins had 10 points, three assists and three steals. She's averaging 10.5 points a game, only three fewer than Asiah Dingle averaged when she led KSU in scoring last season. Starkey had some nice things to say about Modkins on the blog.

Freshman guard Casey Santoro had nine points in her second-straight good game.

Junior Lindsey Thall had a career-high six assists (an awful lot for a forward), seven points and seven rebounds.

After setting a school record with 16 3-point baskets against Ohio Saturrday, KSU was 4 of 20 against Toledo. The Rockets were also 4 of 20.

Full story is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

For long-time fans: the last KSU player to have more than 20 points and 15 rebounds in a game was Anna Kowalska in 2007. She is now head coach at West Virginia Tech, an NAIA school.

Modkins has surprised me too. The Santoro/Modkins combination scared me to death but so far so good. If they stood on top of each other they might be able to dunk but so far their quickness is making up for it.

(12-13-2020 11:02 PM)GoKsuFlashes! Wrote:  this ksu women's basketball team.. wow!!

A wow for a 2-2 record. What are you going to do if they make 8-7?

The women play Duquesne Monday in what should be their last game of 2020.

Game is at 1 p.m. at the M.A.C.C. (no fans allowed) and will be live streamed on ESPN+.

Both teams are 2-2 and have played three of the same opponents. Both lost to Ohio State by a ton. Saint Francis beat KSU by three and lost to Duquesne by two. Kent State beat Toledo by four; Duquesne lost at Toledo 77-74 on Friday.

So it certainly looks like a close game. Last year Flashes beat Duquesne 67-65 in season opener on a last-second shot by Megan Carter.

Preview is on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.

Should be a good, close game. cschierh. Thanks for the preview.

The women got a good win over Duquesne, 73-66.

Somewhat like the Toledo game last week, they had a big lead that dwindled to two points in the fourth quarter.

Then the Flashes got an offensive putback by Nila Blackford with 1:06 to go, then two more offensive rebounds within 40 seconds. The last one was put back in by Katie Shumate to give KSU its seven-point margin of victory.

The Flashes were ahead 57-45 going into the fourth quarter, but Duquesne scored the first 10 points of the period. The teams exchanged mini-runs until the end.

For its second straight home game, the Flashes were hot from 3-point distance. They made 12 of 22 for 54%, second highest in the MAC this season. Highest was against Ohio two weeks ago when the Flashes made 57% and a school-record 16 3s.

Lindsey Thall had been five of 19 from 3-point distance going into the game. She made five of six Monday. Katie Shumate made three of three from behind the arc.

Nila Blackford led KSU with 18 points and nearly had her third-straight double-double with nine rebounds. Thall and Shumate had 17 points. Mariah Modkins had five assists.

Kent State takes a 3-2 record into a 12-day Christmas break. The Flashes play at Eastern Michigan Saturday, Jan. 2. Duquesne, which has averaged 20 wins a season over seven years, is 2-3.

Full story is on the blog at https://wbbflashes.com.

Early-season RPI rankings are always sort of weird, but this year's is weird in a nice way for KSU fans.

Kent State is rated 17th in the nation in one service and 21st in another.

Details are on the blog at https://wbbFlashes.com.