By: by Mark Toma
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State will begin its Atlantic Sun Conference season on Thursday evening as they battle the Belmont Bruins at the KSU Convocation Center in the league opener for both teams.
The Owls (3-3) are fresh off a win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday at the Chicago Invitational Challenge that snapped their three-game losing streak. Belmont (4-2) enters the game riding a three-game winning streak with victories over Alabama State, Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State after losing games to then No. 14-ranked Washington and Wright State at the Athletes in Action Classic in Seattle.
The game is the eighth all-time meeting between the Owls and the Bruins with Kennesaw State having lost five of seven meetings, including both games last season. However, the Owls have defeated the Bruins twice at the KSU Convocation Center, taking a 91-87 win in December of 2005 and a two-point, 81-79, victory in 2008.
In December conference games, the Owls have a 3-3 record over the past four years, with a 3-1 record in home games. The Black and Gold have wins over Belmont, Lipscomb and USC Upstate before a loss to East Tennessee State snapped their winning streak last season.
Kennesaw State has a 2-2 record in conference openers, defeating Lipscomb in 2005 and USC Upstate last season. The Owls lost at Stetson in 2006 and were defeated by Mercer in overtime in 2007.
Sophomore guard Kurtis Woods is coming off a solid week in which he scored in double figures in the four games of the Chicago Invitational Challenge where he was named to the all-tournament team. Woods is third on the Owls in scoring at 13.0 points per game and has led the Black and Gold in scoring in two games including an 18-point effort at Notre Dame.
Markeith Cummings continues his solid play, leading the Owls in scoring at 16.0 points per game while Jon-Michael Nickerson has been a strong contributor both offensively and defensively, scoring 14.3 points and leading Kennesaw State in both rebounds and steals.
Belmont is led by sophomore forward Mick Hedgepeth. The Bruins leading scorer recorded his fourth-straight double figure scoring game and scored a career-high 23 points in a win at Eastern Illinois. Hedgepeth, who has the Bruins lone double-double of the year, also leads the A-Sun in field goal percentage.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the KSU Convocation Center. The game can be heard live on 920am WGKA, the official radio home of the Owls, and on-line at
www.920WGKA.com with play-by-play announcer Craig Corbin and color analyst Scott Webb calling the action live.
Kennesaw State All-Time Atlantic Sun Conference Openers
2008 – KSU Convocation Center
Kennesaw State 66, USC Upstate 64
2007 – KSU Convocation Center
Mercer 77, Kennesaw State 75
2006 – at DeLand, Fla.
Stetson 61, Kennesaw State 56
*2006 - KSU Convocation Center
Kennesaw State 66, Lipscomb 55
2005 – KSU Convocation Center
Kennesaw State 67, Lipscomb 66
* Conference home opener (3rd conference game of the season)
