By: by Mark Toma
KENNESAW, Ga. – The 2009-10 season opens up on Friday night for Kennesaw State head coach Tony Ingle and his Owls as they host North Greenville at 7:30 p.m. at the KSU Convocation Center.
“We’re excited to get the season started with a pair of home games,” said Ingle. “The guys have been working hard since August and we’re looking forward to playing people in different color jerseys.”
The Owls and the Crusaders will be meeting for just the second time in a regular season game and the first time since the Owls became an NCAA Division I member. Kennesaw State defeated North Greenville, 86-73, during the 2001-02 season.
Kennesaw State enters the regular season after a preseason win over Fort Valley State last Thursday at the KSU Convocation Center, a game in which redshirt freshman Markeith Cummings scored a game-high 21 points with sophomore Kurtis Woods adding 16 of his own.
North Greenville enters the opener after a pair of preseason losses to Presbyterian and UNC Wilmington. The Crusaders fell, 60-57, at Presbyterian and dropped an 80-43 decision to UNCW on Saturday night.
Paul Harrison leads a talented group of scorers for North Greenville. The six-foot-eight-inch sophomore nearly averaged a double-double last season, averaging 16 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Crusaders. In the preseason, he scored 18 points against Presbyterian and then added nine against the Blue Hose.
Kyler Vitko is averaging in double-figures in the preseason and is coming off a 13-point effort at UNC Wilmington on Saturday night. Luke Lattimer averaged 11.0 points in two preseason games, including a 19-point effort against Presbyterian.
In last season’s opening contest, an 85-63 win over Western Illinois, then-freshman Kurtis Woods scored a game-high 19 points, as three KSU players scored in double-figures, including Jon-Michael Nickerson, who scored 15 points.
“There are two games in which you never have to get your teams up for,” added Ingle. “One is on opening night and the other is a national championship game.”
Kennesaw State has a 12-12 record in Opening Night games dating back to 1985, the Owls’ first season. In the Owls’ four NCAA Division I seasons, they have a 1-3 mark in openers, including a win over Western Illinois last season.
In home openers, the Owls have a 19-5 all-time record with a 3-1 record in Division I home debuts. Kennesaw State has won two straight home openers with wins over Jacksonville State and Western Illinois the past two seasons.
Kennesaw State Opening Games 1985-2008
Opening Night Record 12-12 .500
2008 – Western Illinois, 85-63
2007 – at Western Kentucky, 61-96
2006 – Western Kentucky, 55-96
2005 – Denver, (Anchorage, Alaska) 66-80
2004 – Benedict, 67-57
2003 – Northern Kentucky, (Orlando, Fla.) 65-78
2002 – Reinhardt, 84-72
2001 – at Shaw, 77-86
2000 – at Paine, 71-83
1999 – at Southern Tech, 87-85
1998 – at Shorter, 69-62
1997 – at West Georgia, 61-76
1996 – Shorter, 79-69
1995 – at Clayton State, 90-109
1994 – Clayton State, 73-67
1993 – at Lander, 85-88
1992 – Augusta State, 102-109 ot
1991 – William Carey, 108-88
1990 - DeVry Tech, 104-78
1989 – Tusculum, 95-68
1988 – Bryan, 86-77
1987 – at Southern Wesleyan, 70-73
1986 – LaGrange, (Mobile, Ala.) 71-62
1985 – at Lee, 74-76
