NORFOLK, Va. – Kent State overcame a slow first half and pulled ahead in the second in a 79-70 win over the Norfolk State men's basketball team on Wednesday night in a non-conference game at Joseph Echols Hall.
 
The Golden Flashes (4-3) trailed most of the first half and fell behind by 12 early in the second. After shooting just 28 percent before the break, they came out and hit 50 percent after halftime. Jalen Avery's 3-pointer with less than eight minutes left gave KSU the advantage for good, just its fourth lead of the game.
 
The Spartans (0-7) got a 16-point effort from senior Kyle Williams on 6-of-10 shooting. Sophomore guard Steven Whitley nearly came away with NSU's first triple-double in 30 years, tallying 12 points and career highs of 12 rebounds and nine assists.
 
Down four at the half, Kent State outscored the Spartans 51-38 in the second, nearly doubling its production from the first stanza. The Golden Flashes benefitted at the free throw line, sinking 26-of-31, 18 more attempts than the Spartans. Adonis De La Rosa posted a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds with three blocks off the bench to lead the way.
 
NSU had the edge for a good portion of the game, more than 27 minutes to be exact, including nearly all of a slugfest first half.
 
NSU scored seven of the first nine points of the game, and it was still only a 10-4 contest at the under-12 media break. Kent State called timeout after senior Preston Bungei's fastbreak dunk pushed the Spartan lead to 16-9 with 8:42 to go.
 
Whitley and junior Alex Long each hit jumpers to keep the lead at five, but after the Spartans went up six with five and a half minutes left, Kent State stormed back. The Golden Flashes used an 11-4 run to grab a 28-27 advantage.
 
NSU, though, got a 3-pointer from Williams and a fastbreak dunk from Long to take a 32-28 lead into the half.
 
Kent State shot 11-of-14 from the line in the first half, while NSU missed its only attempt.
 
The Spartans began the second half on a 12-4 run to push the lead into double digits at 44-32. Kent State countered with an 11-0 run that was finally ended by a trey from NSU sophomore Nic Thomas in the left corner at the 14:04 mark.
 
KSU's Mitch Peterson later nailed a trey to finally tie the score at 50-50. But after Bungei hit a pair of buckets for a 54-50 lead, the Golden Flashes went on a 15-3 run for a 65-57 edge. Bungei later hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 68-63 with 4:19 left, but KSU scored nine of the next 11 points to put the game out of reach.
 
Bungei added 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting with five rebounds and two assists. Pitt also reached double figures with 10. NSU shot 27-of-69 for the game (39.1 percent), but just 34 percent in the second half.
 
Avery made 6-of-9 from the field for 18 points with five rebounds and four assists for KSU. Kevin Zabo also scored in double figures with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Golden Flashes finished 22-of-55 for the game (40.0 percent), 14 less attempts than the Spartans. They also converted 9-of-23 from 3-point range.
 
Peterson and Danny Pippen each added seven boards, helping KSU control the glass (44-36).
 
Long finished with nine points, five rebounds and two steals.
 
NSU will host its second straight MAC opponent on Saturday when the Spartans play Bowling Green at 6 p.m.