Dec. 30, 2007
Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Owls suffered their third straight loss at the Duel in the Desert on Sunday afternoon as Nicholls State upended Kennesaw State, 84-68, in the final game of the three-day event at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Owls (2-11) suffered their sixth consecutive loss after getting solid, 19-point, performances from Ronell Wooten and Kelvin McConnell. The effort from McConnell was a career-high scoring game for the true freshman guard who led KSU in scoring for the second time in three games.
While Kennesaw State held early leads against both UNLV and Minnesota, for the first time in the tournament the Owls fell behind early as Nicholls State scored the first nine points of the game, holding KSU scoreless until the 16:37 mark.
A tip-in by freshman Tanner Jacobs gave the Owls their first points of the game, but the Nicholls State offense was too much. After a pair of free-throws by Jacobs brought the Owls within seven points at 11-4, Ryan Bathie hit back-to-back three-pointers to give NSU a 17-4 lead, keeping the Owls at a double-digit deficit the rest of the game.
After NSU scored the first nine points of the second half, Kennesaw State went on a 15-5 run to come within 17 points at 50-33. With a strong already present, the Owls were not done with their rally.
Moments later, trailing 61-38 with over six minutes left, McConnell hit a pair of three points to ignite a 15-3 run and pull the Owls to striking distance, 64-53.
During the blistering-quick run which lasted less than two minutes, Wooten scored seven of his 19-points, scoring on a four-point play and a three-pointer which brought the Owls to within 11 points with 4:21 left in the game.
Shuan Stegall scored in double-figures with a 10-point night while Ryan Daugherty and J.D. Pollock each scored six points. Pollock also added five assists. Bathie led all scorers with 22 points while Anatolly Bose chipped in 21 points for Nicholls State who had four players score in double-figures.
Kennesaw State shot 36 percent from the field in the game while Nicholls State connected of 55 percent of their shots from the floor, including connecting on 7-of-16 three-pointers. The Owls were out-rebounded by a 34-28 margin, but did hold a three-rebound advantage on the offensive boards.
The Owls will be back in action on Saturday evening, January 5, when they begin the Atlantic Sun Conference schedule at home against state-rival Mercer. Tip-off at the KSU Convocation Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
