KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Kent State, 77-76, on Tuesday evening at University Arena.
 
It was a back-and-forth game all night, which featured 13 ties and 11 lead changes. With just over two minutes to play, Kent State (20-10, 10-7 MAC) used a six-point burst to grab a 74-69 edge. At 75-71, Chansey Willis Jr. drove to the hoop and converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make it 75-74 with a tick over a minute to go.
 
Willis returned to the free throw line 30 seconds later and hit two more to put Western Michigan (11-19, 8-9) back in front, 76-75. On the other end, the Golden Flashes made a pair of free throws of their own with four seconds remaining to wrestle the lead back, 77-76. Willis came back down and got a shot away as time expired, but it did not fall.
 
For the fourth time this season and third game in a row, it was Willis who paced the Brown and Gold in scoring as he netted 24 points. The junior also tied his career high with eight assists. Markhi Strickland added 10 points and a career-high 10 rebounds to record the first double-double of his collegiate career.
 
Kent State tallied seven of the game's first nine points to grab the early advantage. At 19-13, Brandon Muntu hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring Western Michigan back level, 19-19, just past the midway point of the opening stanza.
 
In the latter stages of the first half, Owen Lobsinger made a three-pointer and Seryee Lewis then followed with an old-fashioned three-point play to put WMU on top, 37-33. The Golden Flashes answered with a 9-2 to run to close out the half and take a 42-39 edge into the break.
 
After Max Burton made a layup on the first possession of the second half to make it a one-point game, 42-41, the visitors put together an 8-2 stretch to open up a 50-43 advantage, the largest lead for either team in the contest.
 
The Golden Flashes remained in front until a six-point burst from Willis brought the Broncos level, 60-60, with seven minutes to play. The two teams then traded five-point runs, tying the game up again at 65-65 with just over five minutes remaining.
 
The Broncos shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) for the evening, while limiting Kent State to 35.8 percent (24-of-67) from the floor.
 
Before the game, WMU honored Donovan Williams, Brandon Muntu, Markhi Strickland, Owen Lobsinger and Jack Stefanski as a part of its Senior Night celebration.
 
Western Michigan wraps up the regular season on Friday night as it travels to Bowling Green. Tip is scheduled for 7 pm on ESPN+.