By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Score Photo Gallery Notes
Photos Courtesy of SIUE Photo Services
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Kennesaw State men’s basketball team played their first double-overtime game in nearly four years on Saturday evening, dropping a tough, 77-76 decision to the Southern Illinois Edwardsville Cougars at the Vadalabene Center. Spencer Dixon led the Owls with 24 points. The loss was the sixth straight for the Owls.
Tied 76-76 with just eight seconds to play, SIUE (2-9) forward Nikola Bundalo received a pass as he was running into the paint and was fouled by Owls (2-6) forward Aaron Anderson on a valiant block attempt, sending Bundalo to the foul line with 1.9 seconds remaining in the second overtime. The Serbia native made the first free throw in what would prove to be the decisive point in the contest. A heave from half court by Dixon after rebounding Bundalo’s miss on his second attempt fell short to seal the final result.
It appeared that the Black and Gold were going to be able to avoid the extra sessions in a game that featured nine lead changes and was tied 12 different times, as they were able to jump out to an eight point lead with less than two minutes left in the game thanks to a 12-4 run over 4:44. The run began with an Anderson tip-in to make it 52-50 after a short jump shot by Dixon hung on the back of the rim before falling off. After SIUE was able to tie the game at 52, the Owls would make four of their next five shots to jump out to a 62-54 lead with 2:39 remaining.
At that point, however, the Cougars dug down and got themselves back in the game, thanks to timely baskets by freshman Michael Messer, junior Corey Wickware and junior Kevin Stineman. Stineman would get things going, banking a a layup off the glass from the left side while being fouled and converting on a three-point play to make it a five point contest. With the lead back up to six for the Owls, Messer, who led the Cougars and tied Dixon in scoring with 24 points on the evening, would get to the rim, making a layup to make the score 63-59 with 1:09 left in the ballgame. The Cougars would foul and send LaDaris Green to the line, who would miss the front end of a one-and-one and send SIUE back down the court. It would be Wickware who provided the fireworks this time around, driving from around to court all the way to the rim before being fouled and making a running layup. He would make the free throw to make it a one point contest.
After Markeith Cummings made one out of two from the line, Stineman would score the points that sent the game into overtime, laying the ball in with 23 seconds left to tie it at 64. A last second heave by Artie Marine didn’t fall, sending the teams into overtime.
“We had a chance to win the ball game in regulation, but [SIUE] was able to come up with some great plays and send it into overtime,” Owls head coach Tony Ingle said. “Overall, it was a solid game on both ends. Our guys fought really hard and it’s heartbreaking for us to lose, but the way the game was played, had we won, it would’ve been heartbreaking for them. We just need to keep our heads up and keep fighting.”
Kennesaw State had the last shot in the first overtime, and wound down the clock before Kelvin McConnell attempted a three-point shot that was off the mark, sending the game into the second overtime.
The Owls last trailed in regulation with 14:57 remaining in the game. Down, 39-38, Dixon would go on to score nine of the Owls next 10 points, culminating in a stretch in which scored seven straight points for his squad in 64 seconds, first receiving a tipped loose ball from Romain Henry near midcourt before finishing for a layup, then quickly stealing the ball from Wickware at midcourt before driving past an SIUE defender for a layup and then hitting a three from the right elbow moments later to put the Black and Gold out in front, 48-43. The 24-point performance by the junior was his fourth game of the season with 20-plus points.
Anderson and Cummings also scored in double figures on the evening, notching 15 and 12 points apiece. Anderson would lead the way on the glass for the Owls with 12 rebounds. Green joined Anderson in double digit boards with 10, notching his 300th career rebound in the process.
Aside from being one of two players with a game-high 24 points, Dixon also showed his versatility as a guard, handing out eight assists on the evening, the most of any player in the ballgame.
The double-overtime game was just the second for Owls since they began competing at the NCAA Division I level in 2005 and their first since they dropped a, 88-85, decision in two extra sessions at Campbell on Jan. 6, 2007.
The Owls take to the court again this coming Thursday when they take on Belmont in their first Atlantic Sun Conference game of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CST.
