Feb. 3, 2003

Box Score

By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

KENT, Ohio - Antonio Gates scored 24 points and Eric Haut hit three crucial 3-pointers Monday night as Kent State rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit to win its seventh straight game, 70-60 over Miami University.

Gates, the only starter left from the team that made the final eight of the NCAA tournament last year, scored 12 straight points during one stretch of the second half for the Golden Flashes (16-2, 9-1 Mid-American Conference).

Haut, who came in ranked third nationally in 3-point shooting, made three long-range jumpers in the final 3:41 for Kent, which trailed 32-13 with 8:15 left in the first half.

Juby Johnson scored 21 points and Chet Mason 14 for the RedHawks (9-10, 7-3), who had their five-game winning streak stopped, mostly because they couldn't stop Gates.

On a night Kent State retired the jersey numbers of four seniors - Trevor Huffman, Andrew Mitchell, Eric Thomas and Demetric Shaw - from last year's MAC championship squad, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Gates put on a show.

With Miami up 46-35, Gates followed up a miss with a basket. After scoring again, he blocked Johnson's shot inside for a jump ball and then drained a 15-footer to pull Kent State within two points.

After hitting two free throws, Gates stole the ball and drove the length of the floor for a layup. He then hit a corner jumper to pull the Golden Flashes to 53-52 with 7:56 to go.

Haut, who makes 53 percent of his 3-point attempts, made a 3-pointer with 7:17 remaining to put Kent ahead 55-53 - its first lead since 3-0.

Mason's free throw tied it at 57-57, but Haut hit two straight 3s to give Kent State a 65-60 lead.

Kent held Miami to just two field goals - 3-pointers by Tim Schenke - over the final 9:42.

The RedHawks, who shot 54 percent from the floor in the first half, made just 35 percent in the second.