The Kent State men’s basketball team beat Miami 78-57 at the M.A.C. Center Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore guard Randal Holt lead the Flashes with six 3-pointers, totaling 23 points for the game.

A series of fumbling passes and missed shots plagued most of the first half for the Flashes, but they drew new blood with 8:09 left before halftime.

Junior guard Michael Porrini stole the ball off Miami and tossed it to Holt, who sank his second 3-pointer for the game. The Miami lead closed to 21-22.

Just nineteen seconds later, freshman guard Eric Gaines made his own steal near Miami’s basket and bolted down the court. Without anyone even near the Kent State basket, Gaines easily sank his layup and gave the Flashes their first lead of the game, 23-22.

Still firing from the spark a minute before, Porrini made another steal.

This time, he hung onto the ball himself. Porrini missed the layup, but senior guard Rod Sherman tipped it in for the 25-22 Flashes lead.

The Flashes maintained the lead for the rest of the half.

Thanks to a layup by Porrini with five seconds on the clock, Kent State entered the second half up 39-29.

With 15:37 left in the game, Porrini made a jumper that put him face down on the court and Kent State up 51-35.

Freshman forward Darious Leonard sealed the deal for the Flashes, dunking to bring the game to a 78-57 finale with 54 seconds on the clock.

Rachel Jones