The Miami University RedHawks women’s basketball team (11-6, 4-3 in conference play) greets last year’s Mid-American Conference (MAC) champions, the Kent State University Golden Flashes (12-7, 5-2 in conference play), today at Millett Hall for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
The RedHawks are coming off a home victory against the University of Akron Zips earlier this week. Both teams stood at 3-3 in MAC play going into the matchup.
Miami outscored Akron for three quarters, including a 19-3 run in the second. The RedHawks were propelled by 15 points from sophomore guard Enjulina Gonzalez and 14 points from Ilse de Vries. The team stole the ball 16 times, the fourth-most of the season.
Gonzalez continued her stretch of games with more than 10 points. For 12 games straight, she has averaged 19.75 points per game, including a 25-point night against the Northern Illinois University Huskies on Jan. 15.
De Vries played her best game of her first season with the Red and White. Her season-high 14 points consisted of two 3-pointers, and her six rebounds, two assists and six steals all marked season highs for the first-year forward.
Miami’s defense especially dominated this game. Outside of one free throw and layup from senior guard Alexus Mobley, the RedHawks kept Akron from impacting the scoreboard for the entire second quarter while they added 19 points for themselves.
First-year guard Tamar Singer stole the ball four times and had three turnovers. Gonzalez and sophomore guard Núria Jurjo brought in three and two steals respectively as well as one turnover each.
The RedHawks will need to replicate their defensive success today against the Golden Flashes, who are the highest scoring team in the MAC, with 1,446 points on the season.
Senior guard Jenna Batsch leads Kent State with 286 points, good for fourth in the conference. Her 30 3-pointers puts her at second on the team behind sophomore guard Mya Babbitt, whose 48 3-pointers leads the MAC.
Senior forward Bridget Dunn matches Batsch with 30 3-pointers as well. All three Golden Flashes rank in the top 15 in the MAC for 3-pointers.
Kent State has won its last two games against the Western Michigan University Broncos and the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The Golden Flashes beat both schools by a combined score of 113-58.
Kent State’s victories this season have been decisive, with the Golden Flashes averaging a 26.92 score differential when they win. Their widest victory of the season was a 103-41 performance against the Virginia University of Lynchburg Dragons.
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Dunn has been impactful on both sides of the court. Her 168 defensive rebounds lead the conference ahead of Eastern Michigan’s Sisi Eleko (123).
The Golden Flashes opened conference play with back-to-back wins against the Bowling Green State University Falcons and University of Buffalo Bulls. Both victories were the closest margins of the season for Kent State, as the team won by 10 against the Falcons and nine against the Bulls.
The University of Toledo Rockets halted the Golden Flashes’ run, giving them their first loss in MAC play 70-59. They jumped to 3-1 after a road victory against the Ohio University Bobcats, but the No. 1 ranked Ball State University Cardinals ensured their dominance in the MAC, giving Kent State a 66-57 loss.
However, the Golden Flashes are on a two-game winning streak, with three players scoring in the double-digits in both games. Sophomore forward Janae Tyler scored a season-high 16 points against Western Michigan on Jan. 18.
When the RedHawks faced the Golden Flashes last season, Kent State outscored them in four-straight quarters towards a 69-38 Miami loss. The game marked Kent State’s third win in conference play. The season culminated in the Golden Flashes winning the conference championship against the Bulls in March.
Miami’s start this season differs drastically from last year. The RedHawks dropped their first three games in MAC play and started 2024 at 2-5. Last week’s victory against Akron brought Miami over .500 at 4-3 and gave the RedHawks a No. 6 ranking in the conference.
If the RedHawks repeat their defensive performance and continue their offensive strengths, they have a chance over the No. 3 Golden Flashes.
Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Millett Hall. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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