The Kent State men’s basketball team was unable to overcome a 35.9% shooting performance, losing to Miami (OH) (25-8, 14-4), 72-64 in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals Friday.

“I’m obviously disappointed that we lost a tough game,” coach Rob Senderoff said. “Ultimately, these games come down to a possession or two, and they made the plays you need to make.”

In the beginning  it was Jalen Sullinger versus the RedHawks. The senior guard had Kent State’s first nine points and 11 of the teams first 13 points, outscoring Miami by himself in the early going.

At one point in the second half, Sullinger had 23 of the team’s 43 points. 

“We played hard, we just didn’t win. We all expected to win, we thought we were going to win, we just didn’t,” Sullinger said.

The game went back and forth the entire time, with neither team gaining more than a five-point advantage.

Up two with five minutes to go, Kent State gave up a 7-1 run. The Flashes fought back to bring the deficit to one with under two minutes to go, but Miami scored seven unanswered points to close the game out.

In such a tight game, the team will likely look back and cite its 11-21 performance at the free throw line as one of the reasons for the loss.

“We didn’t make our free throws like we

normally do. We’ve been a really good free throw shooting team over the course of the year, and we didn’t make them tonight,” Senderoff said.

Senior forward VonCameron Davis again struggled offensively, scoring 10 points on 4-17 from the field.

“I don’t think they were doing anything different, I think I just missed some shots over the past two games, and I think I could have done a lot better, but it is what it is, and the outcome is the outcome,” Davis said.

The RedHawks, who are the MAC’s second-best team in 3-pointers made per game, rained in 11 on 30 attempts, including multiple crucial makes down the stretch.

Miami sophomore forward Kam Craft scored 17 points and made five 3-pointers.

“He’s a good player, and tonight he made some big plays for them,” Senderoff said. “He hit two or three big threes in the last two or three minutes.”

Miami will play the Akron Zips (27-6, 17-1) for the MAC championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The Flashes have been eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention and will lose five seniors heading into the offseason.

Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].