KENT, Ohio—A gritty effort amidst a dramatic finish came up just short as the Miami University women's basketball team was edged at Kent State University, 71-69, on Saturday afternoon inside the M.A.C. Center. Miami drops to 2-15 overall and 1-12 in Mid-American Conference play, while Kent State moves to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in MAC action.
Peyton Scott amassed 34 points to lead all players.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Miami took a quick 5-0 lead by the 8:06 mark of the first quarter off an Abbey Hoff triple and Scott layup. The Golden Flashes fired back with a 16-2 run over the next 4:35 to push ahead of the RedHawks, 16-7, with 2:32 to go in the first quarter. A Jada Duckett three-point play and Kenzie Schmitz trey pulled Miami within three, 16-13. KSU carried a 20-14 advantage into the second quarter.
- The Golden Flashes extended their lead to 22-14 before Miami staged a 6-0 run to close within 22-20. Miami continued to grind away as Kent State extended its lead, and the RedHawks persevered to close the gap. Over the final 1:16 of the second quarter, Miami scored seven unanswered to carry a 33-29 lead into the half. Scott had five of the final seven points of the half for Miami, while Amani Freeman added a layup.
- The teams continued to slug it out in the third quarter. Miami led by as many as six early on in the quarter, including a 39-33 lead. KSU came back with a 7-0 run to post a two-point edge. KSU led by as many as five late in the stanza, but a triple from Hoff and a Scott layup with two seconds to go, pulled the RedHawks within two heading into the final quarter, 52-50.
- Kent State extended its lead to 59-52 by the 6:54 mark. The Golden Flashes maintained a seven-point cushion until the RedHawks used a 10-3 flurry to knot the game at 65 apiece off a Scott triple with 2:28 to go. Tihanna Fulton and Scott hit buckets over the final minute to tie things up twice more, but Kent State sunk the final field goal with just over a second to play to win the game.
NOTES:
- It was Scott's third 30-point scoring effort in seven games and second straight. She shot a sizzling 56.0 percent from the floor, going 14-of-25 from the field. Scott added five rebounds, four steals and three assists to her line.
- Fulton notched eight points and a team-leading six boards and added three steals and two assists.
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks return home for the first of two straight games in Millett Hall when Miami hosts Central Michigan at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10.
