By: KSU Sports Information
Box Score Play-By-Play
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Delbert Love scored 16 points for a new career-high, leading four Owls in double figures as Kennesaw State defeated the Reinhardt Eagles, 72-46, for their second straight victory on Thanksgiving Eve at the KSU Convocation Center.
Romain Henry also had a career-high performance for the Owls, scoring 15 points on an evening in which the Owls (2-2) took the lead 2:18 into the game and never trailed again. A Markeith Cummings three-pointer would make it a, 20-10, contest with 12:55 to go in the first half, the lead would never dip below double digits from that point forward.
“This group as a whole is becoming more and more responsible each day. They have the commitment to get better and they work harder each day and make me passionate about helping them to get better each day,” Owls head coach Lewis Preston said. “I was happy with the performance that Romain and Delbert had
tonight. I am glad that Delbert was able to do it in front of his family for the first time in college live, and Romain continues to play the way he has been playing over the course of the last three games.”
Kennesaw State led the Eagles (4-2), an NAIA Division II opponent, 36-14, at halftime, after holding them to 6-for-27 shooting from the field in the opening half, and never trailed by less than 17 points in the second half, thanks in large part to 4-for-7 shooting from three-point range and 12-for-14 free throwing shooting during the second 20 minutes. The 26-point margin of victory for the Black and Gold was the largest lead in the game for Preston’s squad.
For Henry, the performance marked his third consecutive game in which he achieved a career-high in scoring. It was also the third straight time he was in the starting lineup, after not starting a game during his first season with the Owls in 2010-11.
“When I go out there, I’m not really thinking about my personal stats, or if I can get a career-high,” Henry commented after the game. “Now that I’m getting an extended chance to play, it’s my goal to do everything that I can while I’m out on the floor to help my team win.”
Aaron Anderson led the way on the boards for the Owls with 12 rebounds, his second double-digit rebounding performance of the season. He added six points against Reinhardt, who was treating the game as an exhibition for their own record-keeping purposes.
In addition to his game-high 16 points, Love also led all players in the game with five assists, including one that led to perhaps the most exciting play of the game. Just 4:35 into the game, Love tossed an alley-oop attempt to Cummings just over the junior’s head. Cummings was able to reach up and slam the ball down with one hand, bringing the crowd to a frenzy and putting an exclamation on a 12-4 start to the game for the Black and Gold.
Spencer Dixon was the fourth Owl to score in double figures on the evening, chipping in with 10 points, all of them coming in the second half.
Reinhardt was led by Tyler Blackwell, who scored 13 points for the Eagles.
The Owls return to the court on Saturday evening to face South Carolina State at 5 p.m.
