Kent State women’s basketball team beats Buffalo for 13th MAC win of season

KENT — The Kent State women’s basketball team faced off against the nation's fourth-leading scorer Sunday during its senior day, and the Golden Flashes were up to the challenge.

The Flashes limited the Buffalo guard Chellia Watson to just 16 points on 4-of-17 shooting en route to a 67-59 Mid-American Conference win.

“I think a lot of our success was because of Jenna Batsch; she was just our whole game plan since she's long and really good at defense,” Kent State guard Abby Ogle said. “[Watson is] a leading scorer in the league for a reason, so we just had to build walls around her.”

KSU (18-8, 13-3) had the MAC’s third-best scoring defense (61 points allowed) coming into the game.

“Tonight was a great example of our defense, and coach talks about it all the time in the locker room, how we need to be connected,” Flashes forward Mikala Morris said. “Tonight, I thought as a team, we were all really connected today, and as a unit, we were able to take away other key players as well.”

The victory gave Kent State coach Todd Starkey his first 13-win season in the conference since 2016-17.

“I'm not as focused on the outcomes of the next two games as I am on how we're playing,” he said. “How we play up in Cleveland is what matters most. It's a one-and-done scenario when you get up there, and you have to be playing your best.”

Flashes guard Katie Shumate, Morris and Ogle were honored before tipoff.

“This has been one of if not my favorite teams to coach. Top to bottom, this group is a lot of fun,” Starkey said. “They're just high character, they care about each other, and it's a coachable group. The seniors have been a big part of that.”

Shumate ranks fifth all-time in scoring (1,751), third in 3-pointers (167), third in games played (136) and third in rebounds (779).

“When I got here, I was just a kid, and just being able to grow up around these people and having the support that I've had with the coaching staff and then the players I've met along the way, I couldn't have asked for a better environment to grow up in,” Shumate said.

Ogle is first in program history in steal percentage (6.8) in 54 career games.

“She has just been a warrior, battling injuries for a couple of years and a lot of frustration, and has just continued to move forward,” Starkey said. "There are times when she shakes things loose for us when things are stagnant, and she's made plays for us, and her energy has always been great.”

After spending the previous four years at Quinnipiac, Morris put her trust in KSU for her final year of collegiate basketball.

“When I first went into the transfer portal coach was actually the first person to call me,” she said. “I got a phone call from him, and as soon as I saw that I was so excited.

“Then I came on to campus, and I met the girls, and from [that] moment I thought it was a great fit for me, and it’s given me so many opportunities.”

Kent State made the first basket of the game and never looked back, leading wire-to-wire for its third consecutive win.

The Flashes started the game on an 11-4 scoring run, limiting the Bulls (16-11, 9-7) to a 1-of-5 shooting from the field. But, after being held scoreless over the first four minutes, Watson scored the final nine points of the first quarter as KSU's lead was cut to 15-13.

The second quarter also went back and forth, with the Bulls again rallying late in the quarter to trim Kent State's lead to 35-30 at halftime.

“We want to avoid those situations, and I think we have a pretty easy solution,” Shumate said. “We have to take better shots and take care of the ball, and we know that, and we're going to figure it out.”

Kent State then took control to start the second half, converting on three of its first four shots while forcing the Bulls into six missed shots.

“They heard from me about my displeasure with how we ended the second quarter, and then we moved on,” Starkey said. “They responded, and not just hearing it, but responding, and this group has done that all year.”

Watson was limited to five points during the second half, missing all nine of her shots from the field and converting 5 of 6 from the free-throw line.

“We're not a one-trick pony; we have opportunities to try to defend, score, and play teams differently,” Starkey said. “I think that's our biggest strength with being able to respond to these things, and we can change our lineup, the way we're defending.

“We're adaptable, and we're balanced.”

Shumate led KSU with 16 points and tied her career-high with 13 rebounds. Batsch added 14 points, Morris totaled 12 points and forward Bridget Dunn recorded the second double-double of her career with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“She was able to score on the interior today and from the 3-point line,” Starkey said of Dunn. “So now teams have to think twice about how they guard her. I’m really pleased with how she has continued to progress this season.”

Kent State will remain at home for its next game, taking on Ball State at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Cardinals (25-4, 14-2) defeated KSU 57-46 on Jan. 31.

“I wouldn't change it. I think that's a perfect situation for us — we’re going to be playing against the top teams going into the MAC tournament,” Shumate said. “I don't think there's a better way to prepare us for that than competing with the best teams.”

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State defense keys win over top scorer Chellia Watson, Buffalo