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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Sophomore guard Almesha Jones exploded for career-highs of 31 points and six steals and scored the game-winning layup with 37 seconds remaining Friday night as the Morehead State women's basketball team hung on to edge the visiting Kent State Golden Flashes, 51-50, at Johnson Arena.
Jones, whose previous high-water scoring mark was 16, hit 5-of-9 from three-point range and also blocked a would-be game-winning three-point attempt with 13 seconds left as the Eagles won their seocnd straight game and improved to 3-9. KSU dipped to 1-10. She scored 12 in the opening half and tossed in 19 in the final 20 minutes while also contributing four assist and four rebounds.
"I told Almesha in the locker room that she really put us on her back and gave us a great opporunity to win," Head Coach Tom Hodges said. "I don't how that game-winner went in, she must have put a little english on that."
The Eagles led by as many as 12 in each half and only trailed once. Tazmin Barroilhet's lay-in with 52 seconds left put the visitors ahead for the first time, 50-49. Following Jones' eventual game-winner, a heavily contested lay-in off the glass, the Golden Flashes had three oppotunities for the go-ahead bucket. Jones' block thwarted the first one with 13 ticks left, and KSU turned it over on an in-bounds play immediately after that. Daimon Beckford, who ironically hit a game-winner against MSU in last year's 65-64 KSU win, misfired on a short jumper as time expired.
Barroilhet registered career-highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds for KSU. She was 10-of-13 from the field and also had team-highs of three assists and four steals.
The Eagles led 24-15 at the break while shooting 44 percent (10-of-23). MSU cooled off to 36 percent (10-of-28) in the final half and saw KSU hit 50 percent (12-of-24). MSU forced 25 turnovers, resulting in a season-high 17 steals. A 30-19 Eagle lead with 18:51 left evaporated into just a 33-31 advantage at the 14:25 mark via a 12-3 Golden Flash run.
"We didn't shoot the ball great in the second half, but I am proud of our team for finding a way to hold on and win. We head into the Christmas break now on the strength of a win instead of a disappointing loss," Hodges said.
Freshman guard Kelsey Funderburgh added a career-best five assists, and sophomore forward Casey Ryans totaled a team-high seven rebounds. KSU out-rebounded MSU 36-26.
MSU finished at 39 percent (20-of-51) efficiency from the floor, including eight three-pointers.
Morehead State returns to action on Dec. 28 hosting Bethel University (Tenn.) in the first game of a doubleheader at 5:15 p.m. ET.
