Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Kent State*
Kent State Slides By CMU
1/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2006
KENT, Ohio - Central Michigan University women's basketball gave Kent State all it could handle, but in the end KSU's Lindsay Shearer took over and led the Golden Flashes to a 57-51 home victory on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes improve to 12-6 on the year, 5-2 in the Mid-American Conference, with CMU falling to 10-8, 1-6 in the MAC.
Shearer finished with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds, going 6-for-16 from the field and 12-of-14 at the line. She scored 19 and grabbed 11 boards in the second half including 17 of KSU's final 24 points.
Kent State outscored CMU 55-31 when Shearer was in the game and was outdone 20-2 without the two-time All-MAC player.
Casey Manning led the Chippewas with 16 points, going 6-for-10 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. Sharonda Hurd added 10 more points and a team-high six boards.
CMU held a 45-44 lead with 4:35 left on a three-pointer by Erin Kuhl, but KSU answered with an 8-2 run over the next three minutes for a 52-47 advantage with 1:02 remaining. CMU did get within one in the final minute, 52-51, but shots by Ann Skufca and Casey Manning both missed the mark as KSU iced the game away with free throws.
The charity stripe played a key role in the game as Kent State got to the line 31 times, knocking down 22, while CMU got there just 15 times, hitting nine. Foul trouble also hampered CMU's top two scorers as Ann Skufca (five points) and Chasidy Myers (zero) were held well below their average.
With CMU's starters struggling, the bench provided a huge boost, outscoring KSU's bench, 27-6. Manning led the effort with Angel Chan chipping in six tallies.
CMU got off to a slow start as it went without a field goal for the first six minutes of the game allowing Kent State to build a 7-0 lead. Eight of CMU's 20 turnovers came during that stretch, though KSU wasn't much better as it committed five miscues.
Angel Chan got the Chippewas on the board with a three-pointer and Hurd followed that up with another three to get CMU within one. The Golden Flashes responded with a 7-2 run to take a six-point lead with 9:19 left in the first and their lead stayed between four and six over the next four and a half minutes.
The Chippewas made their first big run of the game with 3:45 left and Shearer out of the game with foul trouble. With Kent State up 20-14, CMU went on a 14-2 run the rest of the half for a 28-22 lead at the break, going 5-for-5 from the floor during that stretch including a pair of threes. Manning capped the run by scoring the last six points of the half and finished the frame with a team-high 10 points.
CMU remained in control for the first five minutes of the second half as it held a 35-28 lead with 14:51 remaining. That's when Shearer and KSU took over, going on a 16-2 rally that saw Shearer score 11 of those tallies.
The run gave the home team a 44-37 lead with 7:48 left, but the Chippewas would not relent as they responded with an 8-0 run capped by Kuhl's three, giving CMU a 45-44 lead. Unfortunately, Shearer's play was too much as KSU won its 15th straight over CMU at home.
The Chippewas finished with a better shooting percentage, .353-.326, and were stronger from three-point range, going 6-of-12 (.500) compared 5-of-14 (.357) for KSU. CMU also recorded more blocks, 7-2, and steals, 11-7, while Kent State held the advantage in rebounding, 37-30, and assists, 12-11.
The Chippewas return to action with Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to begin a two-game homestand. Tip off with the RedHawks in Rose Arena is set for 7 p.m.
