Taylor's 19 Points Not Enough To Propel Seahawks To Win

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Senior Anna Kowalska poured in game-high 22 points as Kent State shot 48.1 percent from the floor in a 69-54 victory over UNC Wilmington in collegiate women’s basketball action Thursday at Trask Coliseum.

The Golden Flashes improved to 5-1 on the young season while the Seahawks dropped to 4-2.

Kowalska guided a Kent State attack that was 26-of-54 from the floor, 7-of-15 from three-point range and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line. Kowalska was one of three players in double figures for the Golden Flashes as Rachel Bennett chipped in 12 and Jena Stutzman added 11. Sophomore Chenel Harris corralled a game-high 10 rebounds and Bennett added eight caroms as Kent State enjoyed a 39-33 edge on the glass. Stephanie Gibson dished out a game-high seven assists.

Senior Sahsha Taylor, pictured, scored a season-high 19 points for UNCW, who shot season-lows of 30.0 percent from the floor and 11.1 percent from three-point range. Junior Greta Luksyte joined Taylor in double figures with 11 while sophomore Brittany Blackwell, the team’s leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, was held to a season-low nine points. Blackwell pulled down a team-best six rebounds while Taylor and Luksyte corralled five caroms each.

Kent State opened the contest with a 7-2 run on its way to building an early 14-6 advantage. Kowalska keyed the early spurt for the Golden Flashes, scoring six points on a trio of baskets inside the paint.

UNCW pulled within seven, 22-15, midway through the frame on a basket from Luksyte when a jumper by junior Yohsica Spears started an 8-0 run that gave the Golden Flashes their biggest lead of the frame, 30-15, with 6:45 remaining.

A three-pointer by freshman Julia Finlay and a free-throw from junior Whitney Simmons pulled the Seahawks within nine, 32-23, before the Golden Flashes scored seven of the last nine points of the frame to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room.

Kent State shot 50.0 percent from the floor and connected on 50.0 percent of its attempts from beyond the arc in the first half while the Seahawks were limited to 37.5 percent from the field and 20.0 percent shooting from three-point range. The Seahawks were also plagued by foul trouble in the opening frame as their two leading scorers, Blackwell and Taylor, picked up two fouls apiece within the first 10 minutes of the game.

UNCW scored the first five points of the second half to pull within 10, 40-30, before Kent State scored nine of the next 11 points to take its biggest lead of the contest, 49-32, with less than 13 minutes remaining in the contest.

The Seahawks clawed back into the contest, out-scoring the Golden Flashes, 20-9 over an eight-minute span to make a 58-52 contest with 4:31 left to play. Luksyte paced the six UNCW players who scored during the run with six points while Taylor added four.

The Golden Flashes end the threat, scoring 11 of the final 13 points, including the last seven points of the contest to record the 15-point victory.

UNCW returns to action Dec. 14 when they host long-time rival East Carolina in a 4 p.m. matinee. Kent State is back in action Saturday in a 2 p.m. tip-off at Cleveland State.

NOTES: Kent State held an 18-0 advantage in fast-break points and 32-26 edge in points in the paint ... The Golden Flashes out-scored the Seahawks, 18-10, in the paint in the first half while UNCW held a 16-14 edge in the second half ... Kent State’s 37 points in the first half were a season-high by a UNCW opponent ... Thursday’s contest was the second meeting all-time between the two programs ... The series is tied at 1-1 and the two teams are scheduled to face each other next season in Kent, Ohio ... Kent State picked up its first win in seven tries against CAA competition ... Taylor’s 19 points moved her into sole possession of seventh place on the school’s all-time scoring list ... She is just 10 points away from tying Jennifer Kapper in sixth place at 1,222 ... Freshman Julia Finlay scored her first points in a Seahawk uniform when she hit a three-pointer from the right side at the 5:31 mark of the first half. -Courtesy UNCW Sports Information

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT