Eastern Michigan holds off Kent State 75-70

Feb 13, 2016, 02:39 pm

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Freshman James Thompson IV scored 20 points with a career-best 18 rebounds and Eastern Michigan upended Kent State 75-70 on Saturday, surviving a last-minute comeback attempt and avoiding a season sweep.

Five of the seven Eagles in the game scored at least 11 points, and it marked the 6-foot-10 Thompson's 20th game in double-figure scoring.

Ty Toney and Raven Lee sparked a 6-0 run as Eastern Michigan (13-12, 5-7 Mid-American Conference) stretched its lead to 61-53 with five minutes left.

The lead was 70-60 with a minute to go when Kent State (16-9, 7-5) started fouling. A Deon Edwin 3-pointer made it 73-70 with six seconds remaining, but Toney made both free throws one second later and a final 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark for the Golden Flashes.

Toney finished with 17 points.

Jimmy Hall, 19 points, and Khaliq Spicer, 15, combined for 31 after halftime to lead Kent State.