Kent State shot 55.9 percent (33-of-59) from the field and made 10 triples as the Golden Flashes topped the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team, 85-47, on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 17) at the M.A.C. Center. Ethan Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Oregon) scored a team-high, and career-best, 17 points with five rebounds to lead the Huskies.

David Coit (Columbus, N.J./Atlantic Cape CC) returned to action after missing the last two games, scoring 14 points.

Kent State (13-12, 6-6 MAC) held NIU to just 34.8 percent (16-of-46) shooting, including 25 percent (4-of-16) from three.

Butler made his first career start and scored a pair of early baskets for the Huskies. Kent State answered Butler’s second bucket with a 16-0 run as the Golden Flashes took a 20-4 lead with just under 12 minutes left to play in the opening half.

The Kent State lead grew to 29-6 as the Golden Flashes opened the game 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) from the field and 6-of-9 (66.7 percent) from three.

Kent State extended its lead to 42-18, its largest of the half, before NIU (9-16, 3-9 MAC) ended the half on an 8-2 run to trim the Golden Flashes lead to 44-26 at the intermission. Coit made a free throw and a triple during the burst while Zarique Nutter (Newark, N.J./Clarendon College) had an impressive one-handed dunk that led to a three-point play.

Coit led NIU with 12 points in the opening 20 minutes, Butler added eight while VonCameron Davis had 10 to pace Kent State. The Golden Flashes shot 53.1 percent (17-of-32) from the field in the first half, including 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) from three.

In the second half, Kent State shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the field while limiting the Huskies to just 6-of-24 (25 percent) from the floor.

Kent State outrebounded NIU, 39-17, in the contest as the Golden Flashes also held a 18-5 edge in points off turnovers and a 38-22 advantage in points in the paint.

Davis and Jalen Sullinger each scored 17 points to pace Kent State, Sullinger also added a game-high seven assists. Reggie Bass added 16 points for the Golden Flashes.

NIU will return home for a pair of games next week as the Huskies host Ball State on Tuesday, Feb. 20, and Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 24, for the Cram the Convo doubleheader. Tickets for both games are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.