By: KSU Sports Information
Box Score Play-By-Play
Photo Gallery
Postgame Press Conference
KENNESAW, Ga. – Three players scored in double figures on Wednesday night as the Kennesaw State Owls were able to withstand a late rally to defeat the West Georgia Wolves, 70-68, in an exhibition game at the KSU Convocation Center in front of a crowd of 1,476.
“For these guys, and for us as a staff, it’s great to come out here tonight and get a win over a team that will be very good in West Georgia,” Preston remarked after a game. “I learned a lot about the character of our guys tonight, and we have a lot to work on, but it’s nights like these that provide us with teachable moments that will serve us well as continue to grow as a team.”
Playing their first game under new head coach Lewis Preston, the Owls were tested late after leading for most of the contest, going into the locker room at halftime up, 38-29, and leading, 58-47, with 10:34 remaining. They were out front, 60-51, with 6:55 left, when they went cold from the field, missing their next six shot attempts over the next 5:37 while the Wolves found their stride offensively to make it a tight game.
Still leading, 62-60 with 3:14 left in the contest, the Owls would surrender the lead for the first time in the game when a layup by Gavin Field, who had 18 points on the evening, made it a 62-62 contest. A series of empty by both sides would keep the score that way for the next minute in change before the Wolves pulled ahead for the first time in the evening on a free throw by Marcus Cowan to make it 63-62 with 1:34 left in the contest.
Freshman Delbert Love, who had 10 points in his collegiate debut on Wednesday evening, would immediately end the drought for the Black and Gold, draining a three-point basket from the right elbow to give the Owls a, 65-63 lead with 1:18 remaining.
West Georgia would tie it up one more time on a Thomas Higginbotham layup to make it 65-65 with 1:04 to go, and would force the Owls to win the game at the line, as they did not register another field goal attempt in the game.
Markeith Cummings, who scored 19 points to lead the Black and Gold on Wednesday, would be fouled while driving to the hoop and calmly knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Owls the lead back. It was Spencer Dixon who would make three straight from there, and their clutch baskets from the charity stripe was enough to fend off a late three by Field that made it a, 69-68, contest with three seconds to go. The late effort was part of a second half that saw the Owls go 10-for-12 from the line.
It didn’t look like it would be such a fight to the finish for the Owls, who quickly jumped out to a 7-0 during the first 2:15 of the contest and rode the hot hand of Nick Turner, who was a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range in the first half and Love, who had seven of his 10 points on the evening during the first 20 minutes, to stay on top throughout the early stages of the game.
Romain Henry added 10 points for the Owls, while Cummings and Anderson led the way on the glass with eight rebounds apiece.
Da’Ron Sims joined Field with 18 points for the Wolves.
The Owls tip-off their 2011-12 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 12, when they visit Wisconsin at 1 p.m.
