Kent State women's basketball 2022-23 schedule highlights

Allen Moff, Record-Courier
·4 min read

Last week the Kent State women’s basketball program released its entire 2022-23 schedule. Here are five highlights of the slate, which will test the Golden Flashes early and often.

Historic Opener

Since the term "Power Five" was adopted in 2006, neither Flashes basketball team has opened a season with a home game against an opponent from one of the five elite conferences. In fact, the women’s squad hasn’t hosted a foe currently considered a Power Five since 1993, when Kent State defeated Arkansas 86-81 at the M.A.C. Center. You’d have to go back to 1977 to find such a matchup on the men’s side, when the Flashes opened the campaign with an 82-64 home setback to Iowa.

Kent State guard Katie Shumate watches her 3-point shot drop into the basket during last season's game against the Ohio University Bobcats at the M.A.C. Center.
Kent State guard Katie Shumate watches her 3-point shot drop into the basket during last season's game against the Ohio University Bobcats at the M.A.C. Center.

That will all change on Nov. 10, when Kent State’s women’s team opens the 2022-23 season by hosting Florida State.

“I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity,” said KSU head coach Todd Starkey. “One of the things that I’ve tried to do since we’ve been here is really increase our national profile, schedule harder, increase interest in the program. Florida State is obviously a big name ACC opponent. We had Ohio State in here a few years back and that was a big deal. It’s cool having teams outside of the Midwest coming in here as well, especially for our opener.”

The Flashes were scheduled to host the Seminoles last December 21, and they would have rolled into that contest with an 8-1 record. But the game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues with the Flashes.

Former Kent State assistant coach Morgan Toles is an assistant at Florida State.

“I’m good friends with their coaching staff,” said Starkey. “They’re excited about coming here because they have Valencia Myers from Solon in her senior year."

Brutal Beginning

After hosting Florida State, Kent State will welcome a formidable Northern Kentucky squad that was 21-8 last season to the M.A.C. Center. One of those losses was an 80-73 early November home setback to the Flashes.

Then things get really tough. Kent State will visit back-to-back Power Five schools, Arkansas (Nov. 17) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 20).

“Our first four games are significant tests. Probably the toughest stretch to start the season that we’ve had," said Starkey. "But once again, I’ve never shied away from trying to play a tough schedule.”

Last year the Flashes earned two neutral site wins in three days over Power Five schools in Florida, No. 19 UCLA and Penn State.

More:Kent State women's basketball team stuns No. 19 UCLA

Ratcheting Things Down

Kent State will play only three games after Dec. 7 before opening conference play on Jan. 4. Two of those foes are Division III programs, Hiram and Otterbein, while the final non-conference opponent is Coppin State at home on Dec. 31. The Eagles were 15-13 last season.

Head coach Todd Starkey is back for his seventh season leading the Kent State women's basketball program.
Head coach Todd Starkey is back for his seventh season leading the Kent State women's basketball program.

“We have some balance games in there too. It’s not like the whole non-conference season is a juggernaut," said Starkey. "But our strength of schedule should be good overall.”

Toledo Coming to Town

Defending MAC regular season champion Toledo will invade the M.A.C. Center on Jan. 14, while the Flashes will visit the Rockets on March 1 — the second-to-last game of the regular season. Toledo will be an overwhelming favorite to repeat as MAC champs this season. The Rockets went 19-1 in MAC play last season, then were upset by Ball State in the MAC Tournament semifinals.

“I have to think every coach in the conference would say it’s Toledo’s to lose,” said Starkey. “They have basically everyone back. They’ve added a few transfers, one from Long Beach State and a starter from Akron. They’re just loaded."

Revenge on the Zips

Last year bitter backyard rival Akron swept the Flashes for the first time since Starkey took over the program in 2016-17. Starkey had gone 8-1 against the Zips during his first five seasons at Kent State.

More:Three points from Kent State's loss at Akron on Saturday

Akron and the Flashes will meet twice in February, on the 1st at Akron and on the 18th in Kent.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Five highlights of the Kent State women's basketball schedule