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KSU's Jordan Mincy recorded a career-high 27 points / File Photo

After struggling in the first half of the Mid-American Conference season losing four of their first five games, Kent State (15-11,8-4) has now won seven straight games, their longest winning streak  of the season, defeating the Ohio Bobcats 64-51 Tuesday night before 2,987 fans at the MAC Center.

The win moved the Flashes into third place in the MAC East ahead of Akron and Bowling Green who were both idle Tuesday night.

The loss was Ohio’s (13-12,6-6) second in its last three games, keeping the Bobcats in last place in the East Division.

Tuesday's contest was a game that featured reigning MAC Player of the Year, Kent State’s Al Fisher, and this year's frontrunner for the honor,  Ohio’s Jerome Tillman. But it was one of the supporting cast who stole the spotlight up.

Kent State senior guard Jordan Mincy scored a career high 27 points as he went nine-for-ten from the field which included a perfect five-for-five from three-point range and was four-of-six from the free throw line along with three assists and two steals in 34 minutes.

“That was probably one of the best individual game performances ever in this building,” Golden Flashes head coach Geno Ford said after the game.

Mincy, a native of Memphis,Tennessee, had scored in double figures two previous times in his 126 game career with the Kent State.

His previous high was 15 against IUPUI back on November 11,2007 at the BCA Classic in Columbus. The other time came earlier this season when he scored 13 in a home win over Eastern Michigan.

In addition, Mincy’s 27 point performance was the second best by a Kent State player this season next to Fisher’s 35 points in Kent State's overtime win at Saint Louis in November and it was also the most at home for the Flashes since Jay Youngblood scored 25 in an overtime win over Butler on February 18, 2006.

“Mincy definitely was the difference tonight. That was the best individual game against us this season,” Bobcats head coach John Groce said. “I wasn’t sure if it was he or Chris Paul on the floor tonight”

Tillman, the senior from Beavercreek, Ohio, who came into the game leading the MAC in both scoring and rebounds, led Ohio with 18 points and 11 rebounds. It was his seventh double-double of the season.

The Bobcats started the game strongly opening a 10-point lead 17-7 at the 10:19 mark on a Tillman free throw.

Kent State responded however with 10 unanswered points tying the score 17-17 at the 6:03 mark. The run was fueled by Mincy who had eight of those points.

Mincy added, “When Al gave me the ball and I hit that three from the left corner that got it started. They have me open shots tonight.”

The Flashes then took their first lead of the game, 20-18, at the 4:22 mark on a three-pointer by Evans and finished a 15-1 run by opening a four-point advantage 22-18 at the 3:55 mark on a layup by Justin Greene.

Ohio then scored nine straight points to regain the lead 27-22 on a Tillman layup at the 1:30 mark and went into halftime with a four-point lead 29-25.

At the start of the second half, the 'Cats extended their lead to eight 34-26 with 16:18 remaining on a Tillman free throw.

But then Kent State took complete control of the game.

The Flashes scored the next sixteen points over a 6:27 span to turn an eight point deficit into an eight-point lead at 42-34 with 9:51 remaining on a Mincy layup.

The Flashes' second-half run was started by Evans. The junior college transfer from Virginia hit a pair of threes and then was finished by Mincy with a three-pointer and a layup.

From then on, Kent State would not relinquish the lead.

The closest the Bobcats came for the remainder of the contest was five points, 42-37 with 8:53 remaining on a Tillman free throw.

Kent State then pushed its lead to 14 points on two occasions, the last being 58-44 on two Fisher free throws.

The Flashes' largest lead was 16 in the final moments 64-46 after two Chris Singletary free throws. The win for Kent State avenged a 71-65 loss to the Bobcats back on January 11^th in Athens.

Mincy was the lone Golden Flashes player in double figures. When he left the game in the final minute he received a standing ovation from his teammates and the crowd.

Evans came off the bench to add nine and Julian Sullinger had eight.

Along with Tillman’s 18 for Ohio, Steve Coleman had 12 and Michael Allen 10 but the Bobcats simplyd did not have an answer for Mincy and the Flashes on this evening.

“I liked our effort and desperation tonight,” Groce said. “We hung in there together. This is a great place to play college basketball (The MAC Center) but in the end they made too many plays.”

Both teams are back in action on Saturday as part of the ESPNU Bracketbuster and both will be home against Ohio Valley Conference opposition.

Kent State will host the Morehead State Eagles while the 'Cats return to Athens to face the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky

NOTES: The game was the 126^th in the all-time series with Ohio leading 86-40 but Kent State has won seven of the last nine meetings … Ohio has not won in Kent since February 24,2001 69-63 …The game featured two of the MAC’s three first year head coaches (Ford and Groce) ending their regular-season head-to-head at 1-1 … Kent State is 34-4 in its last 38 home games … 25-2 in their last 27 against the MAC at home .. Kent State went 6-0 against the MAC West Division, the first time since 2003-04 the Flashes have won all of their cross-division games … Jordan Mincy-KSU first half three pointer gave the Flashes at least one trey in 322 consecutive games … Jerome Tillman-OHIO has scored double-digits in all 25 games this season and in 29 straight dating back to last season … Tillman is one of three players in all of Division I leading his conference in both scoring and rebounding .. Tillman’s seventh double-double of the season Tuesday night moved him past Anthony Newell-BSU for the lead in that category