The Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball fell in overtime to the Kent State Golden Flashes, 65-57, Tuesday night at McBrayer Arena.
The Colonels (2-5, 0-0 OVC) gave up an 11-3 run that lasted the entire overtime period. A three by Bria Bass brought EKU within six, 63-57, but it is as close the Colonels would come in the extra period.
Abby Wright paced the Colonels with 19 points, one away from her career-high she recorded last game against Ohio. In addition, she finished tied on the team with three assists. A’Queen Hayes recorded her seventh-straight game in double-figures, adding 16 points and pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Shay Solomon rounded out EKU players in double-figures, contributing 12.
EKU held a five-point lead, 52-47, with 46 seconds left in the game. Kent State took advantage of four-straight missed free-throws by EKU to get within one, 52-51, with just 26 ticks remaining. Hayes, who missed two free throws seconds earlier, calmly sank both to give EKU a three point advantage. However, with just seven seconds remaining in regulation, Naddiyah Cross drilled a three to send the game to overtime.
Kent State (6-3, 0-0 MAC) was led in scoring by Cross, who had 19 points. Jordan Korinek, who came into the contest averaging over 20 points per game, was held to just 10 points, tying her lowest scoring total of the season.
The Colonels found themselves down three, 32-29, in the third quarter when back-to-back triples from Hayes and Wright gave EKU its first lead in over 11 minutes. From there, Eastern capped a 10-0 run when Wright grabbed an offensive rebound, drew the foul, and calmly sank two free-throws to put the home team up 39-32. A Kasey Toles three stopped the run, but back-to-back layups by Hayes finished a 14-3 run to end the quarter.
Eastern Kentucky shot 36 percent from the field, and just 60 percent (9-for-15) from the free throw line. KSU hit on 41 percent if its shots and out-rebounded EKU by 14, 45-31. The Golden Flashes turned 15 offensive rebounds into 15 second chance points.
The Colonels return to action on Saturday, when they travel to take on George Mason. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
— www.EKUSports.com —
Kevin Britton
Assistant Athletics Director for Communications & Branding
