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EL PASO, Texas – Kent State's Kris Brewer made a free throw with 2.9 seconds remaining to deal the North Dakota State University men's basketball team a 53-52 defeat in the opening game of the Sun Bowl Invitational at the Don Haskins Center on Sunday, Dec. 21.
 
NDSU (6-5 overall) led 50-48 with 1:38 left in the game after freshman Paul Miller drained a pair of free throws. Kent State's Jimmy Hall drew a foul at the other end and made both free throws to tie the game at 50-50 with 1:29 left.
 
Kent State (8-2 overall) and NDSU traded buckets in the final minute, with Hall making a layup for the Golden Flashes with 42 seconds left and Kory Brown tying the game at 52-52 on a layup in traffic with 21 seconds remaining.
 
After a timeout, Brewer drove to the basket and drew a foul to earn the game-winning free throw. He led Kent State with 14 points in the game.
 
The Bison were led by 15 points from senior guard Lawrence Alexander, who once again played all 40 minutes. Sophomore forward Dexter Werner finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for NDSU.
 
NDSU shot 33 percent for the game, just off Kent State's 34-percent clip from the floor. The Bison made 13-of-21 free throws and allowed Kent State to grab 16 offensive rebounds. Kent State posted a 49-37 advantage on the glass.
 
NDSU committed only four turnovers in the game.
 
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with the Bison shooting 26 percent and Kent State shooting 28 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes.
 
NDSU will play Alcorn State in the Sun Bowl Invitational consolation game at 6 p.m. (CT)/5 p.m. (MT) on Monday.