With strong defense, Kent State outlasted Bowling Green 44-43 Saturday, snapping a 13-game losing streak to the Falcons that dates back to 2005; remaining perfect in MAC play (4-0).

The Flashes ended Bowling Green’s 15-game winning streak, which was tied for the longest in the nation this season.

“I thought we played excellent defense today by obviously holding them to 28 percent shooting and really gave ourselves a chance to win by doing what we did on the defensive end,” coach Bob Lindsay said. “I told our players that this had to be a low possession game. We couldn’t win an 85-80 game so we had to try to defend and hold the score down.”

Even though defense was the key to the victory at the M.A.C. Center Saturday, the Flashes (13-3, 4-0 MAC) started hot on an 11-4 run, spanning over seven minutes of the game.

Most of the points the Flashes got came from working through the Falcons’ zone defense.

The Flashes scored 28 points in the paint to propel them to the win.

Bowling Green battled their way back though, working extra passes around and getting some open looks around the perimeter; eventually taking their first lead of the game with 5:20 remaining in the first.

By halftime, the Flashes clung to a 20-18 lead.

Both teams would trade leads from there on out with the largest difference being a four- point margin for the Falcons (32-28) with eight minutes remaining. The small deficit was made up by senior guard Jamilah Humes by sinking two identical jump shots to tie the game at 32-32.

“I know I can make that shot, I make that shot all the time and we run that play all the time,” Humes said. “And I run it in practice and I know that’s the shot that want and if I’m open, I should hit that shot.”

“Personally, I am really happy and the rest of my seniors are ecstatic. That’s the only word I can use right now.”

Humes led all scoring with 16 points (6-for-12 from the floor) and was the only player for the Flashes to go to the free throw line where she went four-for-five.

What Bowling Green did best all night, keeping them extremely dangerous, was their 3-point shooting. The Falcons were 7-for-20 from behind the arch and possessed one of the best perimeter shooters in the MAC—senior guard Lauren Prochaska.

Prochaska went 3-for-8 from the 3-point range and led Bowling Green with 13 points.

“She has a really quick trigger,” Humes said. “Give her any room, any space and pretty much, it’s going in.”

Humes, who finished the game with nine rebounds, sealed Kent State’s victory with her board off a missed layup by Bowling Green sophomore guard Chrissy Steffen.

Humes was fouled on the ensuing play, sending her to the line and keeping the ball away from the Falcons’ side of the court.

The senior guard missed her lone free throw, and the Flashes began to celebrate after Falcons senior guard Tracy Pontius missed the final half-court shot.

“We played a great team. We played the best team in the MAC and got a win, and I’m proud of our players for that,” Lindsay said.

Kent State will take on Akron next Wednesday at home to continue their work in conference play as Bowling Green (15-2, 3-1 MAC) will travel to Buffalo.

Contact Matt Lofgren at [email protected].