CLEVELAND -- Jamie Rubis scored 16 of her 19 points in the second half as Kent State won its third Mid-American Conference tournament title in the last five years with a 73-59 victory Saturday over Ball State.

Kent State, the tournament's top seed, receives the MAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament despite defections and injuries in January that left the Golden Flashes with a 2-6 record and an active roster of just seven players.

Andrea Csaszar, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, sealed off the lane and forced Ball State to go outside for its points. Csaszar had six blocked shots and 13 rebounds to go with 17 points and was chosen as the tournament's most valuable player.

Trailing 45-40 in the second half, the Golden Flashes (20-10) held the Cardinals (23-7) without a field goal for more than 10 minutes to take a 65-47 lead.

Rubis put the game away with a crosscourt steal that resulted in a three-point play for a 59-46 lead with 4:28 to go. The Cardinals never threatened again.

Johna Goff scored 18 points, Shala Crook 12 and Tamara Bowie 10 for Ball State, which now must await a bid to either the NCAA or Women's NIT.