After Kent State led by 11 late in the third quarter, it didn't score a point for the next seven minutes. The Flashes were 3-for-24 in the fourth quarter and 0-for-9 from 3-point distance.
"We make shots, we win today. It's really as simple as that," said coach Todd Starkey.
Kent State missed a major opportunity when star FSU freshman Ta'Niya Latson fouled out with 4:30 to go. At that point, Latson had scored 34 points; no one else on the Florida State team had scored more than six.
Hannah Young made the two ensuing free throws, and the score was 66-64. But FSU seniors scored 11 of their last 14 points.
Lindsey Thall led the Flashes with 19 points. Katie Shumate had 18 and seven rebounds. Casey Santoro had 11 points.
Young led KSU in rebounding with eight. The Flashes outrebounded FSU by one in the first half but were beaten on the boards 50-40 for the game.
A few interesting statistics:
• Through three quarters, KSU shot 44%, 3 percentage points better than Florida State.
• FSU outscored KSU 22-1 in points off turnovers in the first half. In the second half, it was KSU 10-4.
• KSU outscored the Seminoles 40-30 in the paint, which sort of goes against the idea that the Flashes' offense was only drive-and-kick-out for 3s.
• Florida State had scored 112 points in its opening win over Bethune Cookman and more than 115 in two exhibition games against non-Division I schools. It scored a lot less against Kent State.
• Attendance was 2,209, 700 more than any game last year.
The Flashes host Northern Kentucky at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Norse beat Lipscomb 101-95 in three overtimes on Thursday. They were 21-8 and finished fourth in the Horizon League last season.
More on the blog at
HTTP://wbbFlashes.com.