Cleveland Reporter

Graduate student Lindsey Thall connected on her fourth three-point field goal of the game to go ahead with 40.7 seconds remaining in overtime as Kent State defeated Coppin State, 72-69, at the M.A.C. Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Flashes (8-3) made all four of their field goal attempts, including a pair from beyond the three-point arc, during an overtime period that featured four lead changes.

Kent State won the tip to begin the extra session but missed a pair of free throws. Coppin State split two shots at the charity stripe on the ensuing possession, but the Flashes went ahead on a three-pointer by sophomore Bridget Dunn. A jump shot tied it before freshman Corynne Hauser scored baskets on back-to-back trips down the floor to go ahead 68-64 with 2:52 to play. Turnovers on two straight possessions allowed the Eagles to retake the lead entering the final minute. After junior Casey Santoro found Thall for the go-ahead triple, Coppin State threw the ball away. Santoro then split a pair of free throws after being fouled and the defense came through with one final stop to secure the win.

Led by Thall's 15 points, all five starters scored in double-figures. Hauser added 12 points and a team-high five assists. Seniors Clare Kelly and Katie Shumate and Santoro finished with 11 points apiece. Shumate grabbed 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

A slow shooting start resulted in a 12-4 deficit at first media timeout but two free throws by Shumate and baskets from Santoro and Hauser over the final 1:33 in the opening period got Kent State within 15-13.

Two three-pointers by Kelly gave the Flashes their first lead since the game's first possession, 19-17, just over two minutes into the second period. The lead changed three times before a 12-2 run over the final 4:21 gave Kent State a 36-28 lead at halftime.

The teams traded baskets to start the third period before Thall drained a three-pointer to give the Flashes their largest lead of the day, 41-30. Coppin State refused to go away and made five three-point field goals as part of a run that gave the guests a 49-48 lead with 3:57 to play in the period. Kent State answered with a 9-1 run to take a 57-50 lead into the fourth period.

A scoring drought of more than seven minutes came to an end on a corner triple by Kelly to retake the lead, 60-59, with 4:10 remaining. The Eagles scored a second-chance basket on the ensuing possession and Santoro tied it back up with a free throw at the 2:16 mark. Neither team was able to score again in regulation, as Kent State headed to overtime for the first time this season.

The Flashes made three of their final four shots behind the three-point line and shot 11-of-25 overall for 44%.

Kent State finishes its four-game homestand at the M.A.C. Center when it hosts Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference opener at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 4.

Original source can be found here.