By: by Mark Toma
KENNESAW, Ga. – In what is growing into a stronger rivalry with every meeting, Kennesaw State and Mercer will tangle for the second time in eight days on Thursday evening at the KSU Convocation Center.
The Owls (11-12, 6-6 A-Sun) enter the game on a five game winning streak after stopping Stetson, 73-62, on Monday night. The winning streak is the second longest in the Division era and the longest since the 2005-06 season when the Black and Gold won seven straight games.
Kennesaw State defeated Mercer, 71-69, eight days ago in Macon, and head coach Tony Ingle became the all-time winningest coach in KSU history with his 166th victory. Since then the Owls have won two more games and are looking to even the all-time series with the Bears.
The last time Mercer (11-11, 7-5 A-Sun) lost was last week to the Owls. They enter Thursday night’s game on a two-game winning streak with victories over Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast. The loss to Kennesaw State was, at the time, their third in a row, but the average margin of defeat in those games was just over three-points.
Both teams feature dynamic players at the opposite ends of their collegiate career. The Owls feature redshirt freshman Markeith Cummings while Mercer has their highly acclaimed senior, James Florence. Cummings and Florence are among the leading scorers in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Cummings, a two-time A-Sun Player of the Week who scored 25 points against Mercer, is the leading freshman scorer in the nation. The Birmingham, Ala. native is making a name for himself on the local, regional and national scene. He is currently the only freshman in the country to have a point/rebound and point/assist double-double this season. In addition, he is one of two freshmen in the country to have two games scoring 30 or more points.
Meanwhile, all Florence has done over his career is become the second leading scorer in the history of the A-Sun, with 2,164 points and counting. This season, Mercer’s all-time leading scorer is averaging 19.4 points per game, but was held to 13 by the Owls. Against KSU, Florence is averaging 21.6 points and 24 points in two games at the KSUCC.
In addition, the game also has two of its top rebounders who are at staggered stages in their collegiate careers. Kennesaw State’s LaDaris Green is the leading freshman rebounder in the conference while Daniel Emerson is far and away the leading rebounder in the A-Sun.
The series between the Owls and the Bears is a close one with Mercer holding a 5-4 edge. Six of the nine games have been decided by seven points or less with two games decided in overtime.
Thursday night’s game can be heard live on 920 am WGKA as well as on-line at www.920wgka.com. Craig Corbin, play-by-play and Scott Webb, color analyst, will call the action live beginning with the Peachtree Orthopedic Pregame Show at 7:00 p.m.
