By: KSU Sports Information
Thursday, Dec. 22- Tennessee Tech 81, Owls 68
Box Score
Postgame Notes
Friday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: Listen Live Live Stats
LAS VEGAS- Markeith Cummings and Spencer Dixon combined for 49 points on Thursday afternoon to lead the Kennesaw State Owls, but it wasn’t enough firepower to overcome the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, as they would fall, 81-68, in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena. Cummings led all scorers in the game with 27 points.
The Owls (2-9) trailed by as few as five points in the second half after going into the locker room down, 46-35, but fell victim to the hot shooting of Tennessee Tech (7-5), who went 11-for-21 from the floor after halftime and 31-for-53 (58.5 percent) overall.
A three-point basket by Delbert Love from the right wing with 10:11 remaining in the game would make it 62-57, but that would be as close as Lewis Preston’s squad would come to making a comeback. The Golden Eagles would score the next seven points over the next four minutes to make it a double digit margin the rest of the way.
Kennesaw State, who has dropped each of their last seven games, persevered throughout the contest after falling into several deficits. Quickly falling behind, 16-8, just under five minutes into the contest, the Black and Gold embarked on an, 11-2, run over the next 4:44, as Dixon’s first three of the game would make it a, 19-18, advantage for the Owls. 50 seconds later, Dixon would follow a Golden Eagles’ basket with two free throws to give the Black and Gold the lead once again, a lead that would prove to be their final one of the evening.
Golden Eagles senior big man Liam McMorrow, who would match his career-high with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting, would make the next two shots from close range to put Tennessee Tech back on top, where they would stay for the remainder of the game.
Cummings was 9-for-18 from the floor on his way to becoming the first Owl in their Division I history to score 20 or more points in at least 30 career games. He was joined by Spencer Dixon in double figures, who was 5-for-9 from three point range on his way to 22 points on the evening.
Tennessee Tech was led by Kevin Murphy, who scored 21 points as one of four Golden Eagles in double figures. His 10 rebounds were the most of any player in the game, helping Tennessee Tech to a, 34-20, advantage on the glass.
The Owls will face the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders in the tournament’s consolation game on Thursday, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
