KENT, OHIO – Senior Kevin Zabo scored on a driving layup as time expired, lifting the Kent State Golden Flashes to 61-59 win over Northern Illinois Huskies Monday at the MAC Center.
With the Mid-American Conference Tournament first round victory, KSU (16-16, 9-9 MAC) moves on to . . .
Northern Illinois (13-19, 6-12 MAC) had a 56-52 lead with 2:27 remaining, but KSU went on a 7-3 spurt to take a one-point lead, 59-58, on a driving layup by Zabo.
Kent State remained in front until the 07.4 mark when, sophomore Eugene German was fouled by Danny Pippen -- his fifth of the game.
“The way we won the game tonight is a testament to everyone in the locker room and finding a way to win.” KSU head coach Rob Senderoff said. “
It was Kent State’s third win in the last four games, with all contests either coming down to one possession or going into overtime.
“Give Kent State credit.” NIU head man Mark Montgomery said. “Zabo made the play. He is a senior, and seniors make plays like he did.”
Zabo, playing his final overall home game, led all scorers in the contest with 19 points. Junior Jalen Avery had 13 with four assists and De La Rosa added 10 with eight rebounds.
When asked about his game winning play, Zabo said “Coach told us that I am a senior let him make a play.
“The original play, if German made the free throw, I was going to inbound the ball,” Zabo said. “He missed it and Adonis got the rebound. I was standing next to him so I brought the ball up. I got to my spin move and got into the lane and shot the ball and it went in before the buzzer -- a perfect ending”
Northern Illinois was led by Levi Beradley who scored 18 points (all in the second half) with six rebounds. German added 12, however, he had only one point in the second Half.
The visitors from DeKalb grabbed an early 13-9 lead thanks to German, who provided the Huskies first seven points. KSU countered with a 10-2 run to take the lead, 19-15, at the 6;51 mark when Zabo connected on one of two free throws.
KSU opened a 10-point advantage (29-19) when Zabo hit a three from the right arc. But the Huskies connected on a pair of threes both from the left corner -- one by McCarty and the other from Georges Daow -- to cut their deficit to six at halftime 31-25.
At the start of the second half, KSU opened a nine-point lead 35-26 just 1:20 into the period before the Huskies battled back and it was by Bradley who scored NIU’s first right point
“He is a great, great player,” Senderhoff said of Bradley, who had a big second half. “It is hard to stop everyone on their team, but we had just enough to win tonight.”
The Huskies opened their largest lead of the game, 48-42, on a triple from Daow with 9:13 remaining. KSU responded with eight straight points to regain 50-48 edge on a running layup by Walker.
From that point on, the lead changed hands six times in the last five minutes. Both teams had a chance to put the game away, but missed shots thwarted any hope of either team pulling further ahead.
“It was by far our best defensive game of the season.” Senderoff said.
Last season, KSU survived a first round overtime scare by Central Michigan and went on to win the MAC Tournament and face UCLA in the NCAA Tournament.
This year, the Flashes avenged a loss 75-61 loss to Northern on the opening night of MAC play.
Thursday’s matchup against Ball State will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. Kent State won at home in overtime 88-80 on January 23, but the Cardinals then routed KSU in Muncie, 87-68, on February 9.