Dec. 29, 2007
Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Tanner Jacobs scored 17 points and Ronell Wooten added 15 for the Owls, but Kennesaw State fell to Minnesota, 83-66, in the second round of the Duel in the Desert at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday evening.
The Golden Gophers (10-1) won their seventh straight while the Owls dropped to 2-10 on the year and lost their fifth consecutive game.
Once again the Owls started strong and held an early lead, holding Minnesota at arms length until under the 14 minute mark. After seeing an early advantage slowly dwindle, the Owls remained close to Minnesota, trailing, 16-13, before a pair of Gopher runs put Kennesaw State in a hole.
A pair of three-pointers pushed the Gophers lead to 24-15 before a layup by Jon Williams ended a 16-2 rally that pushed the Owls deficit to 32-15 with just over five minutes left in the first half.
Kennesaw State trailed at intermission, 44-23, as they shot just 30 percent from the field as compared to 50 percent by Minnesota.
The Owls did a better jobg of shooting in the second half, connecting on better than 52 percent of their shots in the half. However, the Black and Gold were not able to come within dingle-digits of the Gophers. The Owls trailed by as many as 27 points in the second half and were only able to trim the UM lead to 16 points.
The Duel in the Desert will conclude on Sunday afternoon with Kennesaw State battling Nicholls State at 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time at the Thomas & Mack Center.
