SECOND HALF
18:15 ... It didn't take long for Shannon to show what kind of an impact she can have if she stays on the floor.
In the first two minutes of the second half, she has already blocked a shot and scored twice, including one offensive rebound and outback.
13:52 ... Rachel Mendelsohn has provided Kent State with a big lift since coming off the bench a few minutes ago. She has a steal and also a long three to tie the game at 58-58. She has shown some hustle and poise with the basketball.
11:37 ... Shannon continues to have an impact. She has 8 points, 4 rebounds, a blocked shot and an assist in eight minutes of the second half. That's after playing only four minutes in the first half.
Her impact is a big reason Kent State is back in the game, down by just three at 66-63.
Freshman Emily Leonard is also making a bid for some more minutes in the post. She has played some valuable minutes next to Shannon. Leonard scored on a nice post-to-post pass from Shannon. She also pulled down a rebound in traffic, then made the smart extra pass to a wide-open Mendelsohn for a jumper.
A much more polished half for Kent State so far.
9:57 ... With Shannon off the floor for a breather, Walsh has put together a little mini-run. A long three by Maggie Berry from the top of the key has pushed the Cavaliers lead out to 71-63 ... and forced O'Banion to call a timeout. Shannon is also back in ... and out of the timeout she flips in a layup on a nice high-low pass from Janae Peterson.
Kent State has also cleaned up some of its sloppy play... only four turnovers in the first 10 minutes of half No. 2.
4:11 ... Flashes playing better and have cut the Walsh lead to 2 points on a layup by Johnson, her 17th point of the night.
3:25 ... Down by three, but Johnson just fouled out.
3:13 ... A three by Mendelsohn from the right corner has tied the score at 78-78. She has been impressive tonight.... 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.
2:36 ... But Kelsey Funderburgh answers with a 3-pointer of her own. Walsh back up 81-78.
1:15 ... Add Walsh baskets by Graham and Badovick and the Cavaliers have taken an 85-78 lead on a 7-0 run. Timeout Flashes.
An 11-2 run at the end wins it for Walsh.
FINAL 89-80
13:52 ... Rachel Mendelsohn has provided Kent State with a big lift since coming off the bench a few minutes ago. She has a steal and also a long three to tie the game at 58-58. She has shown some hustle and poise with the basketball.
11:37 ... Shannon continues to have an impact. She has 8 points, 4 rebounds, a blocked shot and an assist in eight minutes of the second half. That's after playing only four minutes in the first half.
Her impact is a big reason Kent State is back in the game, down by just three at 66-63.
Freshman Emily Leonard is also making a bid for some more minutes in the post. She has played some valuable minutes next to Shannon. Leonard scored on a nice post-to-post pass from Shannon. She also pulled down a rebound in traffic, then made the smart extra pass to a wide-open Mendelsohn for a jumper.
A much more polished half for Kent State so far.
9:57 ... With Shannon off the floor for a breather, Walsh has put together a little mini-run. A long three by Maggie Berry from the top of the key has pushed the Cavaliers lead out to 71-63 ... and forced O'Banion to call a timeout. Shannon is also back in ... and out of the timeout she flips in a layup on a nice high-low pass from Janae Peterson.
Kent State has also cleaned up some of its sloppy play... only four turnovers in the first 10 minutes of half No. 2.
4:11 ... Flashes playing better and have cut the Walsh lead to 2 points on a layup by Johnson, her 17th point of the night.
3:25 ... Down by three, but Johnson just fouled out.
3:13 ... A three by Mendelsohn from the right corner has tied the score at 78-78. She has been impressive tonight.... 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.
2:36 ... But Kelsey Funderburgh answers with a 3-pointer of her own. Walsh back up 81-78.
1:15 ... Add Walsh baskets by Graham and Badovick and the Cavaliers have taken an 85-78 lead on a 7-0 run. Timeout Flashes.
An 11-2 run at the end wins it for Walsh.
FINAL 89-80
HALFTIME
Walsh University 50, Kent State 41
There was some good and some bad for Kent State in the first half of tonight's exhibition game with Walsh University. Unfortunately, the good and bad didn't quite come in equal amounts.
First the good.
Montai Johnson has a knack for scoring around the basket. The 6-foot-1 junior who transferred from Cowley College has decent touch to to at least 15 feet as well. At halftime, Johnson has 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting. She will put up some numbers this season.
Freshman Larissa Lurken has also been encouraging, scoring 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 2-of-3 from the foul line. She also has three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Lurken is active and has a good feel for the game. She is also willing to get on the floor for a loose ball.
In all, this team appears to have made some strides offensively, at least in terms of scoring. The Flashes shot 53.6-percent from the field in the first half (15-for-28).
Unfortunately, they have been sloppy with the basketball so far. The turnover total at halftime for Kent State is 16, and it took some better basketball late to avoid maintaining a turnover-per-minute pace.
Some of that may be due to so many new players in action together for the first time. Turnovers were a major issue last season, so it would have been nice to see some immediate improvement in taking care of the basketball. Again, some of these issues should get cleaned up as these players get more comfortable with their new teammates and a new system.
The defense has also not been good tonight. Walsh is getting too many easy looks right on top of the basket, too many open looks from the arc (7-for-15 from three-point range) and too many second-chance shots (nine second-chance points on 10 offensive rebounds).
I'm sure some of that is due to the fact that CiCi Shannon only played four minutes due to early foul trouble. Kent State has six post players on the roster. It's just a matter of developing one of those youngsters to step in when Shannon can't be on the floor.
FIRST HALF
20:00 ... Three new faces in the starting lineup for this exhibition game
No. 0 CiCi Shannon, No. 3 Larissa Lurken and No. 32 Montia Johnson.
Shannon was here of last season, of course, and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of a difference maker she can be on defense. She is extremely intense. Plus she is long and athletic, and has a shot-blockign pedigree.
19:50 ... Good start as the true freshman Lurken drills a three from the left wing on the Flashes' first possession.
Superfan is here, by the way, and she is already in regular-season form.
16:28 ... Lots of hustle early as Kent State as opened up a 10-6 lead.
The newcomers are already having an impact. Johnson has back-to-back baskets, one in the right post and another jumper from the elbow. The first hoop by Johnson was also assisted by Lurken.
When Walsh got a little lazy with an inbound, Ashley Evans was on the spot for a backcourt steal and layup.
15:08 ... If there is a weakness so far it may be that some of the rotations are late defensively. Tara Gallupe of Walsh just converted an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Cavaliers up 11-10 all because the rotation was a bit late on the backside. The Flashes have also given up a couple of threes when they were late to the corner.
14:00 ... Turnovers also still an issue. After six minutes, Kent State has already committed seven turnovers, and most of the unforced variety.
9:05 ... The Flashes trail 21-16 and coach O'Banion isn't very happy with her team as she talks to them during an injury timeout. A Walsh player hit her head as she fought for a loose-ball rebound.
It's not all bad news. Freshman Krista White is another newcomer who has impressed early for Kent State. While several of her teammates have been out of control as they attacked the Walsh zone, White made a very nice jab step to get to the baseline and draw a foul. She then drilled both free throws.
A familiar face, sophomore Rachel Mendelsohn, added maybe the most confident attack of the basket tonight, keeping the ball on the break and scooping in a basket to cut the Walsh lead to three.
But still, too many turnovers on offense (10), and poor rotation and boxing out to leading to easy shots and second chances for the Cavaliers.
7:03 ... A pretty discouraging start. Kent State down 31-20 with 13 turnovers and the game is still seconds from being 13 minutes old.
A timeout after a steal and bucket by Walsh ... and a good response as Kent State runs a nice play for freshman forward Emily Leonard for an easy basket to cut the lead back under 10.
They can build on that ... and do as they force a Walsh turnover. Good response after the timeout by O'Banion.
... and that response continues as Lurken hits her second 3 of the game to cut the lead to 31-25 with 6:12 to play.
4:22 ... Shannon hada to sit down early with two fouls, and her loss from is likely a big reason why Kent State is struggling defensively. Walsh is getting into the lane and to the rim where Shannon would normally be patrolling.
The recovery has continued, though, as a Mendelsohn three has cut the Walsh lead to 38-33.
Good experience for several players so far. Eleven different Flashes have checked into the game.
PREGAME
There's still plenty of time to get here to catch your only glimpse of Kent State's women's basketball team prior to the official start of the 2013-14 season. Tonight's exhibition game with Walsh University is free to the public, so the price is right! Hope to see you here.
If you can't make it, feel free to write your comments and questions below.
I'll also be here on Friday when the men's basketball team opens its season at 7 p.m. against Ohio Northern.
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