The good news for the NIU men’s basketball team is it only has two MAC road games left this season.

The bad news is its road losing streak has grown to seven, leaving NIU and Marshall as the only MAC teams without conference wins away this season.

The Huskies’ 67-57 loss to Kent State Sunday kept another streak alive. The Golden Flashes remained undefeated at home this season and have won five of their last six overall.

“The big thing at the start of the game was their inside play,” Judson said. “That gave them an early lead that they maintained throughout the game.”

Center Kevin Warzynski led Kent State with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Kent State (15-7 overall, 7-4 MAC) led by as much as 17 points after a 18-6 run and held a 42-32 edge at halftime.

The Golden Flashes were 13-of-17 from the free-throw line after the Huskies got into early foul trouble.

NIU (8-12, 4-8) pulled within nine midway through the second half on a James Hughes dunk, but Kent State responded with an 8-3 run to improve its lead to 14.

“We challenged them a couple of times,” Judson said. “One time we had the ball down seven, the other time we had the ball down eight.”

The Huskies committed a turnover the first time and missed a shot the second.

“Those are the possessions and the swings that turn the game around,” Judson said.

In order to win on the road, Judson said his team needs to convert more on offense and maintain its leads.

“Usually when you win on the road, you’ve had a lead and you can finish it off,” Judson said.

Kent State scored 18 points off NIU’s 16 turnovers. The Golden Flashes also outscored the Huskies 16-10 in second-chance points, but out-rebounded NIU 33-20.

Mike McKinney and Paige Paulsen led the Huskies with 12 points apiece in NIU’s 11th loss by 11 points or less.