Kent State (28-7) qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in 10 years.

Unfortunately, its performance in a first-round loss to UNLV was not indicative of the kind of season the Golden Flashes had.

The Flashes endured a shockingly poor first half and trailed 31-10, after shooting 5-of-24 (21 percent) from the floor with 17 turnovers. UNLV cruised to an easy 71-58 win, which oddly enough proved to be as close as any of the six games in Omaha.

"I don't think you could ever see it coming," sixth-year coach Jim Christian said. "Our leaders were playing very poorly. This whole season we haven't had all three (Haminn Quaintance, Mike Scott, and Al Fisher) of those guys play poorly at the same time."

The seniors -- Haminn Quaintance and Mike Scott -- were career stat sheet stuffers. Quaintance, who played his first two seasons at Jacksonville University, is the first player in NCAA Division I history to surpass 1,300 career points, 900 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks, and 200 steals.

Scott, a four-year letter winner, topped 1,000 career points and 600 rebounds, and twice was named to MAC All-Tournament team.

"They're probably two of the most unselfish guys I've ever coached," Christian said.

Fisher, meanwhile, the MAC's Player of the Year, shot 3-of-15 and finished with 10 points and four turnovers.

In winning both the overall Mid-American Conference championship and the tourney title, Kent State ranked in the top half of the conference in 17 of 19 statistical categories. KSU registered its 10th straight 20-win season and achieved a regular-season national ranking for the first time, after a win Feb 23 at nationally ranked St. Mary's (Calif.).

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