By: by Scott Lipsky
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Markeith Cummings had 20 points for the second consecutive game to lead Kennesaw State, but a fast start by the Jacksonville Dolphins was too much to overcome, as they fell, 87-59, on Saturday evening at the KSU Convocation Center. LaDaris Green joined Cummings in double figures, scoring 13 points to go along with eight rebounds.
The Owls (5-14, 3-6 A-Sun) were outscored by the Dolphins (12-6, 6-3 A-Sun) just 43-42 in the second half, but fell victim to a red-hot Jacksonville team in the early going, JU hitting seven shots in a row after missing their first of the game to jump out to a quick, 15-2, lead.
Kennesaw State compounded the Dolphins’ solid start with some struggles of their own offensively, missing their first five shots of the game before LaDaris Green tipped in a put back, but by then it was already 12-2 with 15:24 left in the first half. They would miss the next nine shots and it wouldn’t be until Kelvin McConnell made his lone three-pointer of the night with 6:34 left in the half, but by then it was 30-8 and the game was already getting away from the Owls.
The Black and Gold would pick themselves up in the second half, after coming out of the locker room trailing, 44-17, following a first half in which shot a season-low 20 percent from the field (5-for25). Down, 73-44 with 6:01 left in the game, Tony Ingle’s squad went on a spirited, 9-0, run, to cut the margin to 20, a rally that featured layups by McConnell, Spencer Dixon and Matt Heramb, who also had three blocks on the night.
The Owls also showed some of their patented athleticism in the second session, highlighted by a broken play that went their way thanks to a heads-up play by sophomore Aaron Anderson. Trailing, 62-32, McConnell tried throwing an alley-oop to Anderson, who stretched to try and convert it, but he wasn’t in position, so he caught the ball, gathered himself, and, as he was falling out of bounds passed the ball to Dixon, who passed it Cummings, who then drove to the basket and made the layup as he was fouled to make it 62-34. He would convert the three-point play.
“I saw more character from the guys in the second half. I told them tonight that I am not giving up on them and I believe in them and I don’t know how to quit,” Ingle said after the game. “We came out of halftime after not executing in the first half and played with guts. We did a better job. Overall, though, we got beat, and I have to give Jacksonville credit for coming out and moving the ball and getting into their offense. We got in too big of a hole and couldn’t bounce back.”
Jacksonville was led by Travis Cohn, who had 24 points and became the first Dolphin to score over 20 points in a game this season. Delwan Graham had the lone double-double of the night, scoring 12 points and notching 13 rebounds. Senior Ayron Hardy, who came into the game leading the Dolphins in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks, had 13 points of his own to contribute to the victory.
The Owls remain at home before hitting the road again, hosting in-state rival Mercer on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night is Code Blue Night at KSU Convocation Center to promote Prostate Cancer Awareness.
