Kent State Clinches MAC East Title, First-Round Bye

KENT, Ohio – Kent State defeated Ohio, 81-77, in a first-place showdown at the M.A.C. Center on Wednesday night. The victory guarantees at least a share of the Mid-American Conference East Division championship and a first-round bye in the upcoming conference tournament.

The Golden Flashes (18-10, 11-6 MAC) led for nearly 30 minutes of the contest but fell behind, 77-76, when Caitlyn Kroll connected on a corner three-pointer with 12.1 seconds remaining.

Following a timeout, sophomore Asiah Dingle drew a foul on her baseline drive to the basket, and then calmly sank two free throws to regain the lead with 8.0 on the clock. Freshman Katie Shumate then made the defensive play of the game,…