DEKALB, Ill. (AP) Jimmy Hall had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Jalen Avery and Kevin Zabo each added 16 points as Kent State held off Northern Illinois 73-66 on Tuesday night after 15 lead changes.

Avery scored with 24 seconds remaining and Hall followed with a block on Marshawn Wilson's shot to preserve the final score. Kent State (11-9, 3-4 Mid-American) took the lead on a Hall layup with 16:07 remaining and held on, though it mostly stayed a one-possession game.

Avery gave the Golden Flashes breathing room, 68-64, with a 3-pointer with just over three minutes to play and scored Kent State's last eight points.

More than 11 minutes into the second half, Jaylen Key was shooting 5-for-6 for Northern Illinois (12-8, 4-3) while the rest of the team was 4-for-14. The Huskies made just 3 of 9 field goals in the last nine minutes.

Key finished with 11 points, all after halftime, and Levi Bradley led NIU with 12 points.

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