Kent State Women's Basketball Preview

Kent State Preveiw
The Kent State women's basketball team aims to continue its upward swing in 2009-10, as the team has the tools to be a major player in the Mid-American Conference race. Picked to finish second in the MAC-East this season, Kent State returns four starters from last season's 19-10 squad, which had one of the best seasonal turnarounds in the NCAA.

While it will be a challenge to replace the all-around game provided by graduated senior Anna Kowalska, head coach Bob Lindsay is confident not only in his returning starters but the supporting cast to be a contender for the MAC title.

"From our divisional standpoint, just about any team in our division is capable of winning our division," Lindsay said. "Bowling Green is picked as the favorite, deservingly so, but the five other teams are more than capable. It's going to be a tough division."

One key to the team's success this season is the depth gained by the squad during the 2008-09 campaign. Eight players return from last year, which includes five of the team's top six scorers. The eight returnees combined for over 70 percent of the team's offense.

That offense was powered by efficient shooting, specifically from three-point range. The Flashes shattered its previous record in three-point field goal percentage in a season, as the team fired three-pointers at a .398 percentage, almost three percentage points better than its previous best. That same effort ranked second in the nation in 2008-09, and with 92 percent of the team's three-point field goals coming from returning players, Kent State will once again look to the long ball to provide a spark offensively.

"It's my job to take a look at what we do offensively and adapt to our strengths," said Lindsay. "We will have to take more attempts from three-point range."

Not lost in the shuffle, however, is Lindsay's reliance on sound team defense. Although Kent State ranked in the top 25 in the nation last season in steals per game, the Golden Flashes will aim to lower its scoring defense and increase its rebounding margin this season.

"Our biggest challenge is to become a better defensive team," said Lindsay, "We need to play harder than we did defensively; we also need to be better rebounding the ball, and that's something we worked on during the preseason."

GUARDS
Leading the way this season is Rachel Bennett, a fifth-year senior who will begin her fourth season as a starter for the Flashes. The 5-9 point guard concluded last season as the team's leader in assists (131) and minutes played (33.7 mpg), resulting in a consistent floor leader for Kent State. Bennett also added 10.0 points per game, good for third on the team in 2008-09, and was second in steals (58).

After missing the 2007-08 season with an injury, Jamilah Humes came on strong last year to finish second on the team in scoring (11.4 ppg), which ranks first among returning players. A player with the ability to create her own shot on the offensive end was able to further key Kent State's attack with feisty defense; Humes led the Flashes with 72 steals on the year, which ranked 44th in the NCAA.

Making a big splash in her inaugural season was long-range specialist Jena Stutzman. The 5-8 sophomore wasted little time in having an impact for Kent State, as she chipped in 8.4 points per game. Aiding in that cause was her .442 three-point field goal percentage, which not only ranked second-best in team history, but was fourth in the country. Stutzman's 68 made three-pointers was also second in KSU ladders. Stutzman also got starting experience under her belt as a rookie, making the starting rotation six times while appearing in all 29 contests.

In her second season as a starter, junior Stephanie Gibson provided consistency at the guard position as attributed by her 1.68 assist/turnover ratio, which was among the national leaders. Gibson, who also added 6.1 points per game and was also third on the team in steals (42), will again provide a sure hand to guide the Kent State attack.

Rounding out Kent State's returning guard corps is Yoshica Spears, who also can fill in at the forward position. In her first season with Kent State after arriving from Tyler Junior College, Spears added 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a reserve. Her versatility and creativity will give coach Lindsay depth and a new look both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

Joining the Flashes this season in the backcourt is Wisconsin prep product Sam Price. Price, a 5-10 guard, was a standout at Eau Claire North and earned first team all-conference accolades as a senior. Price, an athletic guard who also excelled as a prep in soccer, was a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star and also was a McDonald's All-American nominee.

Also beginning her four-year career at Kent State is Tamzin Barroilhet. A standout at the international level both in France and England, Barroilhet garnered MVP honors at the 2007 French National Inter-Regional Championship. A 6-0 guard who may contribute as a shooting forward, Barroilhet recently played for England's U-20 squad at the European Championships.

FORWARDS
While the Kent State frontcourt will have a different look with the graduation of Kowalska, Chenel Harris returns for her junior campaign and has aspirations of being a key factor this season. Harris, who started all 29 games for Kent State last year, was among the team leaders in scoring (fourth, 8.9 ppg) and rebounding (second, 5.0 rpg) despite only averaging 26.9 minutes per game. With her athletic ability and size, Harris will no doubt be among the top front court players in the MAC.

Joining Harris at the forward position is junior college transfer Taisja Jones. A native of Dallas, Texas, Jones was a First-Team All-American selection at Grayson County Community College after leading the nation with 22.0 points per game last season. Jones was also a prep standout at Lakeview Centennial High School, where she averaged 19.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game on her way to earning District Player of the Year accolades.

CENTERS
Three players will have the opportunity to step into a significant role for Kent State this season, starting with junior Ellie Shields. Shields, who gained starting experience as a freshman, will again compete for the starting nod after a season as a reserve. Shields averaged 1.8 points per game as a sophomore, but with her size and versatility, she could increase her numbers significantly in 2009-10.

Senior Lorriane Odhiambo had a solid first season with Kent State, and after a year of assimilating to coach Lindsay's style of play, she should have the assets to be a key contributor. As a junior, Odhiambo took the floor for 26 contests, averaging 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Kent State welcomes freshman Leslie Schaefer to the lineup after a standout prep campaign at Verona (Wis.) High School. While with the Wildcats, Schaefer aided Verona to back-to-back Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament appearances, the first ever for the school. She earned honorable mention all-state honors and will be a welcome addition to the Kent State squad.

SCHEDULE
While Kent State will travel near and far during the non-conference portion of the 2009-10 season, a bounty of high-level teams will venture into the M.A.C. Center to give the Golden Flashes a formidable slate for the upcoming campaign.

Kent State will fly over 1,200 miles when the Golden Flashes head to Boca Raton, Fla., to challenge Florida Atlantic in the first meeting between the two schools; the contest wraps up a season-opening four-game road swing that begins at Robert Morris Nov. 13.

But that will not be the longest flight for the Flashes, as KSU will play at Hawai'i for a two-game series, similar to the same swing Kent State made to the Aloha State for the 2005-06 campaign.

"Our non-conference schedule is pretty tough," said Lindsay. "We start with four games on the road right away, which will be a challenge. But then we have a home stretch, and that should be able to help us."

Fourteen home contests are on tap for the Golden Flashes, including five straight in non-conference play, beginning with Rhode Island Nov. 29. Among the teams heading to Kent State are Temple (Dec. 12), which participated in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, and in-state foe Cleveland State (Dec. 5), which advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2008. All five opponents represent conferences among the top 15 in the country.

Following the non-conference home series, Kent State will head to Hawai'i for a pair of games Dec. 29 and 30 before concluding the non-league slate with Delaware State Jan. 3.

Kent State tips off the 2010 Mid-American Conference schedule at home against Ohio Jan. 6, as five of the first seven MAC games for the Golden Flashes will be in the friendly confines of the MAC Center. Among those home contests are match-ups against Bowling Green (Jan. 16) and Ball State (Jan. 23); both the Falcons and Cardinals saw postseason action in 2009.

With a home-heavy start to MAC action, Kent State will wrap up the conference slate with six of its last nine games on the road, concluding the regular season March 2 at Buffalo.

The MAC Championship starts Saturday, March 6 with first round action at campus sites. From there, the tournament heads to Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, with quarterfinal action March 10, semifinal games March 12 and the championship tilt Saturday, March 13.

Courtesy of Kent State Media Relations