Dec. 31, 2008
Box Score
ATHENS, Ga.--Freshman Spencer Dixon scored 14 of his game-high 16 points in the second half as the Kennesaw State men's basketball team fell 72-52 to the University of Georgia on Wednesday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Owls never led as Georgia scored the first six points of the game before the run wasstopped on a jumper by Kelvin McConnell. Georgia extended the lead to a dozen, 16-4, after a three-pointer by Troy Brewer, but Kurtis Woods and McConnell answered with back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead in half.
Georgia pushed the lead back into double-figures again just after the nine-minute mark of the half, but KSU fought back to get the lead down to nine, 27-18, after a pair of free throws by Artie Marine with under five minutes to go. The Bulldogs extended the advantage up to 14, 34-20, but the Owls would slice off two points from the lead for a 34-22 deficit at the half.
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 16 before a Dixon three-pointer cut the lead back to 13, 40-27. After a Georgia bucket, Jon-Michael Nickerson completed a three-point play to keep the Owls close. After a UGA bucket, Dixon connected from three again to bring the Owls within 11. Down 55-44, the Owls had chances on three straight possessions to get the lead into single-digits again. Finally, an offensive rebound by John Allison resulted in a lay-up to cut the lead to nine, 55-46. But Georgia came back with the next five points, getting the lead back up to 14, 60-46, with just under eight minutes to go.
The Owls sliced three points off the lead on a three-pointer by Nickerson, but that was as close at the Owls would get for the rest of the game. Georgia scored 12 of the final 15 points to take the win.
KSU forced 15 UGA turnovers, with eight coming off of steals. The Owls took 18 more shots than the Bulldogs, but Georgia shot 53.2 percent from the field for the game, including 60 percent on 12-of-20 shooting in the second half. KSU shot 30.8 percent from the field on 20-of-65 shooting.
Kurtis Woods scored 11 points for the Owls, while Nickerson and Allison each had eight. Nickerson also had six of KSU's nine assists. For the game, Georgia had 19 assists.
Brewer came off the bench to lead Georgia in scoring with 15 points. Five Bulldogs scored in double-figures in the contest.
The Owls will return to action this Monday with their first game of 2009 coming against Atlantic Sun Conference foe Campbell. Tip-time from Buies Creek, N.C., is set for 8:15 p.m., or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's basketball contest between KSU and Campbell.
