By: KSU Sports Information
Live Stats Listen Live (Free!)
Game Notes
Watch Live (BTN.com- subscription service)
MADISON, Wis. – The Kennesaw State Owls officially tip-off the Lewis Preston era on Saturday afternoon when they open the 2011-12 season on the road against the No. 14-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Tip-off at the Kohl Center is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. EST.
After winning a tight, 70-68, exhibition contest on Nov. 2 at home against West Georgia, Preston and his squad of nine returnees and three newcomers will finally be able to test their mettle in regular season competition, and they will get to do it against one of the top-ranked teams in the land in the Badgers.
Wisconsin, which is coached by the legendary Bo Ryan, is ranked No. 14 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches preseason poll, and No. 15 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The match-up will mark the first time in almost two years that the Owls will face a team ranked in either poll, dating back to their road game against then No. 22 Georgia Tech on Dec. 22, 2009.
Saturday marks the beginning of an ambitious non-conference schedule for the Owls, who was picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Sun Conference by both the media and coaches within the league. After the Badgers, they visit Auburn on Monday evening, the second of three opponents they will face from the “Power Six” conferences. The Missouri Tigers host the Owls on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Among the Owls nine returnees is junior guard Markeith Cummings, the Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Player of the Year and two-time All A-Sun honoree, and senior guard Spencer Dixon, who knows a thing or two about stepping up against major-conference opponents. On Nov. 15 of last season in their thrilling, 80-63 win over Georgia Tech, Dixon scored 27 points against the Yellow Jackets and would go on to be named the A-Sun Co-Player of the week for his efforts.
Follow the Game For Free: Fans can follow the game for free with live stats provided by Wisconsin Athletics. Live audio will be available at www.KSUOwls.com/showcase, with Art Eckman and Scott Lipsky providing the play-by-play. Video streaming will be available via the Big Ten Digital Network, a subscription service available at www.BTN.com. The Big Ten Network will be airing a replay of the game on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. EST.
Thoughts on Saturday:
Owls Sophomore Brandon Dawson: “We know whenever you’re on the road the environment can be tough to handle, and this should be no different. Obviously, we are really excited to play a team of Wisconsin’s caliber, and the atmosphere should be incredible, but it’s our first game of the season and we have a new coaching staff, so we need to stay focused on what we’re doing and do what we know we are capable of doing. We’ve been waiting to get the season started for some time now and it’s great that it’s here.”
Head Coach Lewis Preston: “We’re really excited about the opportunity to get the season started. I’m looking for us to come out and play hard, play smart and play together for 40 minutes. Most importantly, we need to make sure we stay in character in what should be a hostile environment.”
About Saturday's Match-up:
The Owls vs. The Big Ten: Wisconsin will be the Owls second-ever opponent from the Big Ten Conference, and the first ever to host them. The Black and Gold fell, 83-66, to Minnesota in Las Vegas on Dec. 29, 2007 as part of The Duel on the Desert.
Familiar Surroundings: Owls head coach Lewis Preston may be making his debut as a head coach on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean he lacks the requisite experi¬ence to take on the Badgers. As an assistant coach with Big Ten rival Penn State from 2008-11, Preston squared off against Wisconsin on seven occasions, compiling a 2-5 record.
The Owls in Season Openers: Since joining the NCAA Division I ranks, the Black and Gold are 3-3 in season openers, and have won each of their last three.
About Wisconsin: The Badgers were picked to finish second in the Big Ten this season by the the media. They are an experienced squad, returning 10 players from a 2010-11 team that went 25-9 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 before being stopped by eventual National Runner-up Butler. The first win in their NCAA Tournament run was over a familiar foe for the Owls in A-Sun champion Belmont.
Wisconsin features senior guard Jordan Taylor, who turned heads last season with all-around play that included averages of 18.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Perhaps most impressively was his ability to handle the ball so well, as he led the nation with a 3.8 assists-to-turnover ratio. The expectations are high this season for the Bloomington, Minn., native, as he was selected by the Associated Press as a Preseason All-American. Taylor is one of four returning Badgers who played in all 34 of their games last season.
Owl Milestone Watch:
-Markeith Cummings (1,141 career points) is 11 points away from passing Terrence Hill (2002-04) for eighth place on the Owls all-time scoring list.
-Spencer Dixon needs both five assists and five steals to move into eighth place on the all-time list in both categories.
-Cummings needs just one more game with 20 or more points to tie Ronell Wooten (2004-08) for the most such performances during the Owls Division I era (2005-present) with 26.
