HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Kent State lost its final road non-conference game of the season, 70-62, to Marshall on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (4-6) took good care of the ball and finished with a season-low 13 turnovers against a Thundering Herd defense that forced 24.4 per game through their first nine contests but shot just 27-of-77 (35.1%) from the field. A terrific effort resulted in season-bests of 22 offensive rebounds and 21 second chance points to keep the game close.
Playing in front of a large group of family and friends, Huntington native Dionna Gray put Kent State ahead 10-9 on a driving layup with 1:56 to play in the first quarter. Marshall then scored the next 13 to lead by double-digits less than two minutes into the second period.
Led by sophomore Emory Klatt’s pair of baskets, the bench contributed 11 points before the break to help Kent State get within 31-25 at halftime.
Junior Mya Babbitt scored 10 straight for the Flashes during a stretch in the third quarter to go ahead 44-42. Kent State’s next four shots were off target, and Marshall converted a layup at the buzzer to lead 46-44 entering the fourth.
Baskets on consecutive possessions by junior Janae Tyler kept the deficit at two, but the Flashes went more than three minutes without scoring and fell behind by 10. Gray ended the scoring drought with her second triple of the game and Tyler finished a putback to get within five with 4:30 to play.
Kent State got three of the following five shots to fall and stay within six but missed its final six field goal attempts and were unable to make another push.
Tyler scored 10 of her game-high 16 points during the fourth and grabbed eight rebounds. Babbitt finished with 12 points and Gray recorded an impressive stat line with eight points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.
The Golden Flashes will be back in action at the M.A.C. Center on Monday, Dec. 15 to host Davis & Elkins for Education Day, presented by Ohio 529.
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