March 1, 2008
Box Score
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery-Wooten
Photo Gallery-Stegall
MACON, Ga. - Shuan Stegall followed a Ronell Wooten shot with a lay-up with 33.9 seconds to put the Owls ahead as Kennesaw State topped Mercer, 65-61, on Friday night at the University Center, in the final collegiate game for Kennesaw State's two senior stars.
In an emotion filled evening for both teams, Stegall delivered one his best-ever performances, scoring a game-high 21-points and grabbing a career-high 18-rebounds as the Owls (10-20, 7-9 A-Sun) secured a 7th-place finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Mercer (11-18, 6-10 A-Sun) stayed close to the Owls on their senior night and what was also head coach Mark Slonaker's final home game as coach of the Bears. Mercer chose not to renew the contract of their 11-year head coach.
In a see-saw battle that had 15 ties and 20 lead changes, the Owls were able to come away with their second road win of the season as a potential game-winning, three-pointer by James Florence missed off the backboard with 13.1 seconds left in the game.
Stegall hit a pair of free-throws to put Kennesaw State up, 64-61, but a three-pointer by Mark hall missed and the Owls J.D. Pollock clinched the game with a free-throw with 2.3 remaining for the four-point win.
Although the Kennesaw State lead was never more than five points throughout the second half, the Owls were in control during the entire second half as they were leading or tied for all but 88 seconds. The Owls led for all but 82 seconds in the first half.
Wooten scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds while finishing his Kennesaw State career with 1,633 points. Wooten is the second-leading scorer in KSU history, 50 points behind Herman Smith, the Owls all-time leader in points scored. Wooten is also the second player to ever eclipse the 1,600-point mark for his career.
Stegall became a member of the 1000-Point Club as he scored his 12th point of the game and the 1,000th of his career at the 18:55 mark of the second half when he hit a short jumper in the paint after snagging an offensive rebound off a miss by Jon-Michael Nickerson. Stegall would also finish the game with six assists and three steals.
The Owls defense limited Mercer to just 37.1 percent shooting from the field in the game and held the Bears to one three-pointer in 15 attempts. The Black and Gold were also fierce on the boards as they out-rebounded Mercer 48-39 and 20 to eight on the offensive glass.
Tanner Jacobs and Jonathan Whipple scored eight points each for the Owls while Kelvin McConnell scored seven points. Brian Pfohl led mercer with 15 points, Florence scored 13 while Shaddean Aaron picked up a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Kennesaw State finished their third division I season with 10 wins as they posted a double-digit win total for the third straight season. The Owls have one more transition season left before they are eligible for the A-Sun conference tournament and the NCAA national tournament.
