Redshirt junior Jimmy Hall scored 22 points in Tuesday night’s win over Bowling Green State University as Flashes commands a 70-54 win over the Falcons on senior night.

“Jimmy’s a great player and tonight he was incredibly efficient,” coach Rob Senderoff said. “To me, he’s the best player in the league and I wouldn’t trade him for anybody in the conference.”

Tuesday night’s win over the Falcons marks the last home game seniors Chris Ortiz, Khaliq Spicer, Xavier Pollard and Galal Cancer will ever play at the M.A.C. Center.

 “I’m really proud of these four guys,” Senderoff said. “It’s an important win for us as a team — which is really all they cared about and is also really special.”

Although still sidelined with a foot injury, Pollard started for the Flashes and was given a standing ovation after the opening tipoff.   

“It was definitely nice to get the introduction and be a part of that,” Pollard said. “I was fortunate my teammates were able to get the win. It made it that much easier to watch.” 

Senderoff said it was his idea to ask Bowling Green’s coach if it was okay to let the Falcons win the tip-off and purposely foul right after so Pollard could return to the bench.

“I asked him if he was okay that we did that,” Senderoff said. “We’d foul right away and let them win the tip. It was nice of him to do it and good that (Xavier) could get out there and do that.”

Kent State controlled the game the entire second half of the game, shooting 52 percent from the field, leading by as many as 20 points with 1:28 remaining in the second half.

Cancer scored 15 points in the second half, finishing with 18 points total in his last home game as a Flash.

“We focused on defense and rebounding and I think we did that from the start,” Cancer said. “Although it was an exciting moment for us before the game, we just tried to stay focused and I think we did a good job handling all that. 

Ortiz totaled 12 rebounds in Tuesday night’s win.

“The past couple weeks I haven’t been playing that well and that’s a part of my leadership role—just setting the tone,” Ortiz said. “It was a perfect night. I just put my mind to it and got it done. 

Kent State looks to close out the regular season Friday as it travels to the University of Akron to take on the Zips, with tipoff set for 7p.m.

Zac Sommer is a sports reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].