On a brisk senior night at the M. A. C. Center, kent State’s women’s basketball team walked off its home floor with a 67-60 win over the Western Michigan Broncos — a game that felt like both a celebration and a checkpoint for a season that will finish at 15-15 overall and 9-9 in Mid-American Conference play.
How did Kent secure the senior day win?
The Flashes opened the game with quick offensive rhythm: freshman guard Anna Campanelli provided an early lay-in, and senior forward Tatiana Thomas buried a 3-pointer that set a tone of efficient scoring. Junior guard Mya Babbitt delivered several decisive shots, including a clutch three after an extra pass from senior guard Dionna Gray that put Kent up by six late in the first quarter.
Defensively, the Flashes tightened in the second quarter, forcing a shot-clock violation a minute in and limiting the Broncos to nine points that period. Emory Klatt drew an and-one foul and the team committed just six turnovers in the half compared with the Broncos’ 12, allowing Kent to take a 36-26 lead into halftime.
The third quarter extended Kent’s control. Gray’s no-look feed to Thomas produced an early layup, and Campanelli hit a baseline three that pushed the margin to 19 with seven minutes left in the quarter. The Flashes entered the fourth up 50-36 and held off a late push to close at 67-60, with Babbitt finishing with 27 points and a strong night from beyond the arc.
Who were the seniors honored and what did this moment mean?
Saturday’s senior day recognized graduate guard Bianca Juzzo, senior forward Tatiana Thomas, senior guard Joy Bergstrom and senior guard Dionna Gray for their time with the program. Bergstrom, named an honorary starter for the game, said, “I came here last year. Getting ready with them before the game is really fun. ”
Coach Todd Starkey framed the moment in personal terms: “These seniors have been an unbelievable class, ” he said. He reflected on how individually unfamiliar players were years ago and how they grew into teammates for life. For the players, the ceremony was less about a single game and more about shared effort over multiple seasons.
What does the win mean for the Flashes and what comes next?
For Kent, the victory served as a balancing point: “We have been through a lot, ” Starkey said. “Its so great for this team to fight from where they were and to get to. 500. ” The coach also cast an eye toward the road ahead: “We have to get up to Cleveland here. We’re going to try and finish it on as high a note as we can. ”
The performance combined disciplined defense with timely perimeter shooting and low turnover play in the first half — factors that Starkey highlighted when he said, “I’m really proud of the way we played. Definitely most of the game, especially the second and third quarter. ” Those quarters, where Kent limited the Broncos and built a decisive lead, were the backbone of the win.
Back on the same hardwood where the evening began with senior introductions, the group that collected rings and photos walked out with a clearer sense of progress. For the seniors honored and the younger players who stepped up, the game was at once a farewell and a promise: a closing chapter that leaves room for the next one to be written as they head to Cleveland to finish the regular season.
