‘We tried to make it interesting’: Kent State women’s basketball falls in NCAA Tournament
SOUTH BEND, IND. — Twenty-two years later, the Kent State women’s basketball team made its return to the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Flashes, the No. 15 seed, seemed to take a while Saturday to become acclimated to that big stage against No. 2 seed Notre Dame.
But after KSU was outscored 22-10 in the first quarter, the Flashes battled the Fighting Irish to a near standoff before Notre Dame advanced to its third consecutive second round with an 81-67 win.
“We tried to make it interesting down the stretch, and that was our goal to let everyone know, win or lose in this game, that Kent State was here and that we compete and we play together,” coach Todd Starkey said. “I'm really proud of our team and the way we played.”
The Flashes fell behind by as many as 21 points in the second quarter and trailed 49-30 at the break, but outscored Notre Dame 37-32 in the second half.
Flashes battle to the finish: 'Our fight is not in question': Kent State basketball leaves impression in March Madness return
“It was just our will and our determination,” KSU guard Katie Shumate said. “We were playing for each other, and everyone knew that we didn't want to go out by giving up.
“We were going to continue to press forward and keep trying to make it a game and play hard. From the bottom of our roster to the top, we never gave up.”
Kent State limited first team All-American Hannah Hidalgo to her lowest point total (14) since Clemson held her to 10 on Feb. 22.
“If you give her space to operate, she's [Hidalgo] just so explosive and so dangerous,” Starkey said. “She affects the game in so many different ways, and we just wanted to make her shots difficult.”
The freshman guard dished out a career-high 11 assists, and Fighting Irish guard Sonia Citron tallied a career-high 29 points.
“Our defensive game plan on Hidalgo was good,” Starkey said. “But it backfired in that Citron had just an unbelievable shooting day.”
After taking a 4-2 lead early in the first quarter, the Flashes were held scoreless for seven minutes as the Fighting Irish went on an 18-0 scoring run to take command.
Citron connected on four of her first five shots in the first quarter, leading all players with nine points. Shumate and freshman forward Janae Tyler combined for 19 of Kent State’s 20 second-quarter points.
After shooting just 21% in the first quarter, the Flashes shot 50% in the second quarter and trailed 49-30 at the break.
“Our players came to play some things didn't go our way early, and we kept fighting tooth and nail,” Starkey said. “I think it just speaks to what this group is about. They're about each other, and they fought for us as coaches.”
KSU outscored Notre Dame 16-10 in the third quarter and were behind just 59-46 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Flashes, who had just three 3-pointers in the first three quarters, connected on three more in the final quarter, including sophomore point guard Dionna Gray's 3 with 5:33 to play that pulled Kent State within 12 points (67-55) before the Irish closed it out.
“The message was keep shooting good shots — they're either going to go in, or they're not,” Starkey said. “Don't change what's gotten us here, and then just keep being who you are.
"They played with a lot of courage.”
Shumate led the Flashes with 20 points and added a game-high 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season. Tyler (18), forward Jenna Batsch (13) and Gray (12) also scored in double figures for Kent State.
“I've never been the tallest or the strongest,” Shumate said. “I kind of just have to will myself to do it. It's just putting your mind to it, and you try to do it.”
Shumate's final game with the Flashes was the 143rd of her career, which is tied for most all-time in Kent State history.
“One of the best competitors I've ever coached,” Starkey said. “Katie and I have continued to get along for five years because she hates to lose as much as I do, and we have a MAC Championship that can't be taken away from us.”
Playing hard and being goofy is something Shumate said she wants to leave for program.
“I think just that you work hard and play together you can get more accomplished,” she said. “You can be goofy sometimes, but when it's time to be serious, it's time to be serious and to be about business and just play hard.
“It's more fun when you are playing hard and playing together.”
Tyler, who finished the season scoring in double figures in four of the last five games, said it's because of the seniors.
“I'm doing it for them. This isn't an individual game,” she said. “These girls have worked so hard to get us here, so I'm just going to work just as hard, maybe even harder, to do it for them.”
Shumate said Tyler’s progression this season was not a surprise.
“She's been able to step up, and especially in big moments it seems like Janae is always there,” Shumate said. “She's always fighting and showing us what she's capable of.
“As a freshman that's extremely hard to do, and we are just lucky to have her on our team.”
The goal next year, Starkey said, is “Get Janae the ball.”
“We're going to run a lot of plays for her,” he said. “She's got a lot of composure, but she's one of the more coachable student-athletes I've ever had.”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Katie Shumate, Kent State women's basketball lose to Notre Dame
