By: by Mark Toma
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. – Markeith Cummings scored a game-high 27 points and LaDaris Green registered a double-double as Kennesaw State had four players score in double figures in a, 79-66, win over Fordham at the KSU Convocation Center on Tuesday evening.
The Owls (5-7) snapped their three-game losing streak with the victory, their first win since a Dec. 5 victory over Lipscomb, while the Rams, under interim head coach Jared Grasso, dropped their fourth consecutive game.
Cummings had a stellar game for the Black and Gold as he went basket-for-basket with Fordham’s freshman star Chris Gaston. Cummings scored 15 points in the first half and added 12 in the second half while Gaston, who is averaging a double-double on the season, scored 26 points and added 12 rebounds.
Kennesaw State led, 35-32, at intermission although they held a 12-point lead with 3:50 left in the half before Fordham closed out the first stanza on a 10-1 run. Brenton Butler, who scored 25 points, began the rally with a short-range jumper and ended it with a three-pointer as time expired in the first half.
The Rams rally continued early in the second half as they quickly erased the Owls lead within the first minute on baskets by Butler and Gaston as Fordham took a 36-35 lead with 19:02 left in the game.
Fordham (2-9) would continue its run and built a 43-37 lead on a free-throw by Lance Brown with 16:37 left to play. Less than 90 seconds later, however, their lead would vanish as the Black and Gold ripped off nine consecutive points.
Spencer Dixon hit a three-pointer to ignite the rally. Zadrian Gibson followed with a pair of free-throws before Kurtis Woods and Gibson followed with back-to-back thundering dunks that erupted the Convocation Center and gave the Owls a 46-43 lead with 14:18 remaining.
Over the next seven minutes, the Owls methodically grew their lead and built their cushion to 10 points when Dixon followed a Woods missed three-pointer with a tip-in as Kennesaw State led, 66-56, with 7:05 left to play.
The Rams tried to stay within striking distance of the Owls and were able to cut the KSU lead to six points with 2:45 left on a Butler jumper, but Cummings answered with a basket on the Owls next possession as the Black and Gold finished the game on a 9-4 run.
The Owls shot 41 percent from the field and out-rebounded Fordham, 45-36, holding an 18-13 advantage on the offensive glass. In addition to Green’s 12 points and 15 rebounds, he also blocked a career-high four shots and had three assists. Woods finished with 14 points while Dixon added 10 points.
Kennesaw State will be back in action on Saturday evening Jan. 2 when they travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to play North Florida at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard live on 920 am WGKA and online at www.920WGKA.com. Craig Corbin, play-by-play and Scott Webb, color analyst, will call the action with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 p.m.
