By: by Mark Toma
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kurtis Woods scored 24 points to lead Kennesaw State, but Campbell’s Jonathan Rodriguez scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Camels to a, 63-53, win over the Owls on Saturday evening at the KSU Convocation Center.
The Owls (5-11, 1-5 A-Sun), who dropped their fourth straight game, quickly turned a 12-point second half deficit into a two-point game when Spencer Dixon sparked a 14-3 run over six minutes to cut the Campbell lead to 37-35 with 12:30 left in the game.
After Dixon’s three-pointer closed the gap to a basket, Campbell (9-5, 4-1 A-Sun) went on an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach. Kyle Vejraska connected on a lay-up and a free-throw to build the lead back to five points. Rodriguez followed a pair of Kennesaw State misses with a short jumper and Lorne Merthie finished the 8-0 run with a three-pointer to give the Camels a 45-35 lead.
Kennesaw State would get no closer than eight points the rest of the game, the last time coming with 3:17 left, when LaDaris Green hit a three-pointer from the corner. The Owls had a chance to cut into the lead further, but Woods came up short on a three-pointer with three minutes left.
The first half saw the Owls crack the 20-point mark for the first time in three games when Jon-Michael Nickerson tipped in a shot as time expired, bringing the Black and Gold to within eight points at 29-21. Just prior to Nickerson’s shot, Woods electrified the crowd with a dazzling one-handed slam off an alley-oop pass by Kelvin McConnell.
The Owls shot 36 percent from the field while Campbell made 23-of-46 on the night. Markeith Cummings scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds as he scored in double figures for the 16th consecutive game. Dixon added seven points with three assists and two steals while Green had four blocked shots.
The Black and Gold will be back in action on Tuesday evening when they conclude their three-game home stand against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the KSU Convocation Center.
Tuesday night’s game can be heard live on 920 am WGKA and is also available on-line at www.920WGKA.com. Craig Corbin, play-by-play, and Scott Webb, color analyst, will call the action beginning with the pregame show at 7:00 p.m.
