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ATHENS, Ohio – Despite a career-high 27 points from graduate student forward Dwight Wilson III, the Ohio men's basketball team (9-8, 1-3 MAC) fell to Mid-American Conference foe Kent State (14-4, 4-0 MAC), 70-65, Friday night (Jan. 13) inside the Convocation Center. 
 
"Tough loss," head coach Jeff Boals said. "Give Kent State a lot of credit. I thought our guys really battled and competed. When you play a really good team, your margin for error is smaller. And if you look at the offensive rebounds and turnover differential, that's 10 more possessions that they got and they won by five. We got to do a better job taking care of the ball and obviously blocking out. I thought the start of second half hurt us. We turned the ball over a couple of times at first war. Give them credit."
 
Overall, Ohio shot 42.6 percent from the field, 28 percent from three and were 12-of-14 from the line, while Kent State shot 42.9 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and were 8-of-15 from the line. Ohio outrebounded the Flashes, 36-35, however, Kent State forced 16 turnovers and scored 17 points off them. 
 
Individually, Wilson III (Tallahassee, Fla.) led with 27 points and nine rebounds, going 9-of-11 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line. Senior guard Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) added 12 points, going 5-of-12 from the field. Senior forward Ben Roderick (Powell, Ohio) scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds, while junior guard Jaylin Hunter (Manchester, Conn.) scored seven points and dished out five assists. 
 
Ohio won the tip and got on the board first with a driving layup from Brown. After a three from the Flashes put Kent State up one, Wilson III's free throw tied the game at 3-3 early on. Wilson III and Kent State traded baskets over the next few minutes before Kent State went to take an 11-7 lead going into the first media timeout. Out of the timeout, more free throws from Wilson III cut the deficit to two, but another three from the Flashes increased their lead to five with 12:52 remaining in the half. Both teams traded baskets once again, before a layup from Wilson III tied the game at 15-15 halfway through the half. 
 
After both teams once again traded baskets, Kent State took a four-point lead, before a second chance three from Roderick cut the deficit to one. The Flashes matched that with a three of their own, with Wilson III and the Flashes trading baskets once again, with Kent State taking a 26-24 lead with 4:28 remaining in the half. Then, with just under three minutes to go, a three from sophomore forward AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) gave Ohio a one-point lead. After Kent State retook the lead, free throws from Wilson III gave Ohio the 29-28 lead with 2:07 remaining. Another jumper from Wilson III increased the Ohio lead to three, however two made free throws from Kent State at the end of the half, cut the Ohio lead to 31-30 going into the locker room. 
 
At the half, Ohio shot 40 percent from the field, were 2-of-11 from three and were 5-of-6 from the line, while Kent state shot 31 percent from the field, were 4-of-13 from three and were 4-of-7 from the line. The Bobcats outrebounded Kent State, 22-21, while Ohio also scored 20 points in the paint, compared to Kent State's 12. 
 
Individually, Wilson III led the Bobcats with 21 first half points, while also grabbing six rebounds. Roderick and Clayton both had three points, while Brown, and senior guard DeVon Baker (Dayton, Ohio) added two points. 
 
Kent State opened the second half with five-straight points to take a 35-31 lead early in the half. Brown and Clayton followed that up with back-to-back threes to out Ohio back up one with 16:40 remaining in the game. Kent State matched it with a three of their own, sparking a 9-0 run that gave the Flashes a seven-point lead with 11:58 remaining in the game. After a three from Roderick cut the deficit to five, the Flashes went on a 7-0 run, taking a 12-point lead and forcing Ohio to burn a timeout with 9:55 remaining. 
 
Out of the timeout, a layup from Hunter and a three from Roderick cut the deficit to eight with 9:11 remaining in the game. After a free throw cut the lead to seven, both teams traded baskets, cutting the Kent State lead to seven with 8:03 remaining. Out of the timeout, a three from Hunter cut the Ohio deficit to four. Both teams traded baskets, before the Flashes took a seven-point lead with six minutes to go. Both teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, with a steal and a driving layup from Brown, cutting the Kent State lead to 61-58. Moments later, a jumper from Kent State put the Flashes back up five going into the final media timeout. 
 
After Kent State went up eight, a three from Brown and a layup from Wilson III cut the Kent State lead to three, forcing Kent State to call a timeout with 1:21 remaining in the game. After Kent State went back up five with 56 seconds to go, free throws from Wilson III brought the Bobcats within three with 21 seconds to go. However, the Bobcats were unable to capitalize on a contested three with two seconds to go, while the Flashes hit two free throws to seal the 70-65 victory. 
 
For Kent State, Miryne Thomas finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Malique Jacobs added 17 points and six assists. Sincere Carry added 11 points, while Giovanni Santiago scored 11 as well. 
 
Up next, Ohio is back on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 17 with Ohio heads to Toledo to take on the Rockets. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside Savage Arena. 
 
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