GAME NO. 29
DATE: Feb. 28
TIME: 7:15 p.m. (ET)
SITE: J. Ollie Edmunds Center (4,000)
LOCATION: DeLand, Fla.
LIVE VIDEO: A-Sun TV
LIVE AUDIO: KSUOwls.com
LIVE STATS gohatters.com
SERIES RECORD: Stetson leads, 8-7
LAST MEETING: Jan. 2, 2013; Stetson, 70-60
LAST KSU WIN: Feb. 12, 2011; KSU 67-65
KENNESAW STATE NOTES | STETSON NOTES
GAME TIME:
• The Kennesaw State men’s basketball team makes its final regular-season road trip of the year this week when it travels to Florida to close out Atlantic Sun Conference play against Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday (Feb. 28) and Saturday (Mar. 2), respectively.
• Both games will be streamed live on the Internet through A-Sun TV. A live audio broadcast also will be available at KSUOwls.com with Brandon Scardigli calling the action.
• The Owls are in their eighth year as a member of the A-Sun Conference after transitioning to Division I in 2005.
• Kennesaw State (3-25, 2-14) is coming off a 70-55 home loss to Lipscomb on Saturday (Feb. 23).
• Stetson is currently 13-14 overall and in third place in the A-Sun Conference with a 10-6 record. The Hatters have won three in a row, four of five, and are coming off an 80-71 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Friday (Feb. 22).
• Head Coach Lewis Preston is in his second season guiding the Kennesaw State program after spending the previous three seasons (2008-11) as an assistant coach at Penn State.
STETSON SERIES HISTORY:
• Thursday’s contest marks the 16th all-time meeting between Kennesaw State and Stetson in a series that backs to 2006 and the Hatters hold an 8-7 advantage. The two teams met earlier this season and Stetson came away with a 70-60 victory at the KSU Convocation Center on Jan. 2. The Hatters have won the last three meetings in the series, following a run of four straight victories by the Owls.
LAST MEETING:
• The Kennesaw State men’s basketball team rallied from a 10-point second half deficit to knot the score at 60-60 in the closing minutes before visiting Stetson scored the final 10 points to register a 70-60 victory in an Atlantic Sun Conference game at the KSU Convocation Center on Wednesday.
• After freshman guard Myles Hamilton hit a jumper to even the score at 60-60 with 1:29 remaining, Stetson senior center Adam Pegg scored inside, was fouled and completed a three-point play to give the Hatters (4-9, 1-1) a 63-60 lead with 1:09 left in regulation. Following a missed three-point attempt by freshman guard Yonel Brown, junior guard Chris Perez converted a second straight three-point play with 36 seconds remaining to increase the Stetson lead to 66-60 and seal the victory.
• Behind 10 first-half points from senior forward Markeith Cummings and 48.3 percent (14-for-29) from the field, the Owls (1-13, 0-2) took a lead into halftime for the second straight game. However, Stetson came out in the second half and shot 65 percent (13-for-20) from the field while outscoring Kennesaw State 20-14 inside after scoring just eight points in the paint during the first 20 minutes.
• Perez scored a game-high tying 19 points to lead four Hatters in double figures. Junior guard Aaron Graham poured in 15 points while Pegg and senior guard Joel Naburgs chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively. Pegg also collected a game-high eight rebounds.
• Cummings scored 19 points and totaled a team-high seven rebounds while leading the Owls in scoring for the ninth time this season. Senior forward Aaron Anderson contributed 12 points and six rebounds while sophomore guard Delbert Love added 10 points and five rebounds.
• The Owls twice trailed by as many as eight points in the first half before outscoring the Hatters 24-15 over the final 11:37 of the period. Anderson and Cummings each scored seven points to spark the comeback.
• After trailing 56-46 with 7:42 remaining, Kennesaw State used a 14-4 run to tie the score, but was unable to complete the comeback.
A LOOK AT STETSON:
• Stetson is currently 13-14 overall and in third place in the A-Sun with a 10-6 record. The Hatters have won three in a row, four of five, and are coming off an 80-71 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Friday (Feb. 22).
• The Hatters have three players averaging in double figures and are led by senior center Adam Pegg, who is contributing 15.6 points a game and ranks second on the club with 6.3 rebounds a contest. Junior guards Chris Perez and Aaron Graham ranks second and third in scoring, averaging 15.4 points and 11.2 points, respectively.
• Head coach Casey Alexander is in his second season leading the Stetson program and has compiled an overall record to date of 22-34 (.393). Alexander guided the Hatters to a 9-20 overall record and eighth-place finish in the A-Sun a year ago.
LIPSCOMB RECAP:
• The two Kennesaw State men’s basketball seniors went out just as they came in, Aaron Anderson recording a double-double and Markeith Cummings scoring 21 points, as the two enjoyed one final home game at the KSU Convocation Center in a 70-55 loss to Atlantic Sun Conference foe Lipscomb.
• Markeith Cummings scored 21 points in his final performance at the KSU Convocation Center.
• The double-double was the 10th this season for Anderson (Tucson, Arizona/Central Arizona College), who is tops among active A-Sun players with 24 career double-doubles. Cummings (Birmingham, Ala./Beach HS) added to his Kennesaw State (3-24, 2-13 A-Sun) career-points record with his 21 against Lipscomb (11-15, 6-9), giving the senior 2,026 total points.
• Lipscomb started off the contest with eight straight points in the first three minutes of action before freshman Nigel Pruitt (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) put the Owls on the scoreboard with a 10-footer to make it 8-2 Bison, kicking off a 7-0 KSU run.
• Delbert Love (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward HS) followed up Pruitt’s field goal with a three-pointer after a LU turnover to make it a three-point game. Cummings then sank his first bucket of the afternoon with a layup from a Love assists to cut the Lipscomb lead to just one, 8-7.
• Cummings went on lead the Owls to their first lead of the ballgame shortly thereafter at the 10:34 mark of the first half with a three-pointer to set the score at 13-12 Owls. Brandon Dawson (Atlanta, Ga./Tucker HS) then extended the advantage to three before Cummings connected on two free throws to give KSU its largest lead of the game at 21-16.
• But in the final 3:25 of the first half with the game tied at 23, Lipscomb ended the period on a 10-3 run to take a 33-26 halftime lead.
• Out of the break Love cut it back to seven with a jumper from Anderson and Cummings made it a two-possession game with a slam to make it 40-35 with 14:35 to play. But another big Bison offensive run put the visitors up by 13 as the Owls never managed to recover, taking the 70-55 loss.
• Cummings led KSU with his team-high 21 points as Anderson scored 10 to go with his game-best 11 rebounds. Love was the third Owl in double-figures with his 11 points on a pair of three-pointers.
CUMMINGS REACHES 2,000 CAREER POINTS:
• Senior forward Markeith Cummings, Kennesaw State’s all-time career scoring leader with 2,026 points became just the sixth player in A-Sun Conference history to reach the 2,000-point plateau following a 28-point effort at USC Upstate on Saturday (Feb. 16). He is 17 points shy of tying East Tennessee State’s Courtney Pigram (2005-09) for fourth place on the conference’s all-time career scoring list. Willie Jackson (1980-84), who played at Centenary, is the A-Sun’s all-time leading scorer with 2,535 career points.
A-SUN CONFERENCE 2,000-POINT CLUB:
1. Willie Jackson (Centenary; 1980-84) - 2,535
2. James Florence (Mercer; 2006-10) - 2,287
3. Jonathan Rodriguez (Campbell; 2006-10) - 2,153
4. Courtney Pigram (ETSU, 2005-09) - 2,043
5. Adam Hodzic (Lipscomb, 2007-11) - 2,002
6. Markeith Cummings (Kennesaw State, 2009-Pres.) - 2,000
DELBERT LOVE SCORES 700th CAREER POINT:
• Sophomore guard Delbert Love scored 11 points against Lipscomb on Saturday (Feb. 23) to surpass 700 career points. With 711 points, the Cleveland, Ohio resident ranks 10th on Kennesaw State’s all-time career scoring list during the Division I era and is six points shy of tying Kurtis Woods (2008-10) for ninth place. In 59 games, Love is averaging 12.1 points a game.
AARON ANDERSON JOINS 700-700 CLUB:
• Senior forward Aaron Anderson, who is in his third season at Kennesaw State, surpassed the 700-point plateau career after scoring eight points against North Florida on Thursday (Feb. 7). With 740 points, the Tucson, Ariz. native ranks eighth on the Owls’ all-time Division I scoring list.
• The senior forward joined the 700-700 club after collecting seven rebounds against Northern Kentucky on Feb. 21. He currently has 713 career boards to rank second on the program’s all-time rebounding list.
SEEING DOUBLE:
• Senior forward Anderson has produced 10 double-doubles this season, and ranks first among Atlantic Sun Conference active players with 24 career double-doubles. He has totaled 13 double-digit rebounding games this season.
A-SUN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS:
• Senior forward Markeith Cummings, Kennesaw State’s all-time leading scorer, was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week (Jan. 15) for the fourth time of his career after averaging 28.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in two games at Jacksonville and North Florida on Jan. 10 and 12, respectively.
• Senior forward Aaron Anderson received the recognition for the first time in his career on Nov. 13 after a double-double in the opening two games of the season as he contributed 14.0 points and 11.5 rebounds a contest while shooting 70.6 percent from the field during road games at Tennessee (Nov. 9) and South Carolina State (Nov. 12).
A DAY FOR THE RECORD BOOKS:
• In addition to handing second-year head coach Lewis Preston his first Atlantic Sun Conference victory, Kennesaw State established several program records during the Owls’ 83-75 win over Mercer on Jan. 5. The list includes:
• The Owls set program single-game records for free throws made (38) and free throws attempted (55).
• Kennesaw State went 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) to established to establish a school-record three-point percentage mark
OWLS AMONG A-SUN CONFERENCE LEADERS
• Senior forward Markeith Cummings is tied for first in the Atlantic Sun Conference in scoring with 16.9 points a game.
• Senior forward Aaron Anderson ranks first in the A-Sun in rebounding (8.6) and is eighth in field goal percentage (51.5).
• Sophomore guard Delbert Love is second in the A-Sun in minutes played (35.8) and tied for eighth in assists (2.9).
• Freshman guard Myles Hamilton also is tied for eighth in the A-Sun with 1.4 steals a contest.
• Aaron Anderson ranks No. 1 on the A-Sun active rebounding list with 713 career rebounds.
FRESHMEN SEE SIGNIFICANT PLAYING TIME:
• The Kennesaw State roster includes four freshmen and all making contributions. Guards Myles Hamilton and Yonel Brown are both averaging over 20 minutes a contest. Hamilton is averaging 22.9 minutes a game while Brown is playing 23.6 minutes a contest.
KENNESAW STATE SIGNS JONES DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD:
• Continuing to build for the future, head coach Lewis Preston signed local product Jordan Jones to a national letter-of-intent earlier this week.
• Jones is a 6-8, 205-pound combo forward who will play his senior season at nearby Saint Francis High in Alpharetta. He averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four blocks a game while helping Furtah Prep (Acworth, Ga.) to an undefeated regular season.
• Jones earned first team All-Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) honors and was selected to play in the Under Armour Grind Session in Atlanta last June. The event features many of the top high school prospects in the region and focusses on skill development and concludes with games.
NATE RUCKER ADDED TO ROSTER
• Junior forward Nate Rucker (Memphis Tenn. / Southwest Tennessee CC) joined the Kennesaw State roster on Dec. 17 and is enrolled in classes for the spring semester. A 6-6, 240-forward, Rucker began his collegiate career at Northern Illinois before playing at Southwest Tennessee Community College last season. During his freshman season, Rucker appeared in 30 games, starting 29, and averaged 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds a contest.
• Rucker shot a team-high 53.7 percent from the field and scored in double figures 12 times. He also produced two double-digit rebounding games.
• Rucker will practice with the Owls for the remainder of the season and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2013-14 campaign. He will be eligible to play at the conclusion of the fall semester in December.
EIGHT NEWCOMERS JOIN ROSTER FOR 2012-13:
• Second-year head coach Lewis Preston has added eight newcomers to the program in 2012-13.
• The group includes freshmen Yonel Brown (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Berkmar HS), Myles Hamilton (Cleveland, Ohio / St. Edward HS), Cole Hobbs (Atlanta, Ga. / Greater Atlanta Christian School), Jordan Montgomery (Orlando, Fla. / Orlando Christian Prep), Bernard Morena (Abidjan, Ivory Coast / Auburn) and Nigel Pruitt (Potomac, Md. / Bullis School)
• Junior Kris Drees (Cumming, Ga. / West Forsyth HS) joined the team this fall after making the club as a walk-on, while sophomore Willy Kouassi (Abidjan, Ivory Coast / Auburn) is a highly-regarded transfer.
PRESEASON HONORS:
• Senior forward Markeith Cummings, a three-time second team all-conference selection, was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference preseason all-conference team.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS:
• Senior forward Markeith Cummings is Kennesaw State’s all-time scoring leader with 2,026 points.
• Cummings also ranks second all-time in rebounds (619) since Kennesaw State became a Division I program in 2005.
• Cummings is the all-time KSU leader in free throws made (508) and free throws attempted (745).
• Cummings also ranks No. 2 in points-per-game (17.0), and is first in field goals made (715) and field goal attempts (1,573).
• Cummings holds the top two single season marks for free throws made (158 in 2010-11 and 134 in 2009-10).
• Senior Aaron Anderson holds the KSU Division I school career field goal percentage record of 52.8 percent (313-593).
• Anderson is first in the KSU Division I era with 713 rebounds and rebounds-per-game (7.9).
2011-12 YEAR IN REVIEW:
• The 2011-12 season marked a challenging year for first-year head coach Lewis Preston and the Owls as Kennesaw State posted a 3-28 overall record and went 0-18 in A-Sun Conference play.
• The Owls recorded a 65-59 victory at Chattanooga on Nov. 18, 2011, to reward Preston with his first collegiate win.
•Junior forward Markeith Cummings was a second team A-Sun all-conference selection and rookie guard Delbert Love was a unanimous selection to the conference’s all-freshman team.
• Junior forward Markeith Cummings led the Owls in scoring and ranked second in the A-Sun after averaging 15.4 points a game. Cummings produced 25 double-digit scoring games and led the team in scoring 12 times.
•Junior forward Aaron Anderson led the A-Sun in rebounding after averaging 9.0 rebounds a game and contributed 8.9 points a contest. He scored in double-digits 15 times, had 14 double-digit rebounding games, and his 280 rebounds established an Owls’ Division I era single-season record.
• Freshman Delbert Love made an immediate in his first season with the Owls as he averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals a contest. He started all 31 games and led all A-Sun Conference freshmen in scoring with 36.5 mpg.
PROGRAM HISTORY:
• The 2012-13 season marks the 28th year of basketball at Kennesaw State. The 1985-86 campaign marked the first season of Owls basketball and the team posted a 7-21 overall record, including a 6-12 mark in the Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while competing as an NAIA member.
• Kennesaw State played nine seasons as an NAIA member, compiled a 146-143 (.505) all-time record and produced six winning seasons.
• Kennesaw State moved to the NCAA Division II level for the 1994-95 season and accumulated a 198-124 (.615) overall record in 11 years.
• Head Coach Tony Ingle led the Owls to their lone national championship in 2004 after the team compiled a program-best 35-4 (.897) record. Kennesaw State defeated Southern Indiana, 84-59, in the national championship game on March 27, 2004 in Bakersfield, Calif.
• Kennesaw State moved to the Division I level for the 2005-06 season and has compiled a 66-227 (.225) record in seven seasons. The Owls’ best year at the D-I level was the 2006-07 season when the club posted a 13-18 (.419) mark.
• Kennesaw State’s signature Division I win was an 80-63 victory over Georgia Tech before a KSU Convocation Center record-crowd of 4,784 on Nov. 15, 2011.
• Lewis Preston was named the fourth head coach in program history on April 16, 2011.
WHAT’S NEW?
• This past summer, the Kennesaw State Department of Athletics, as part of an overall re-branding initiative, signed a multi-year contract to have its 17 intercollegiate athletics teams outfitted in Adidas apparel and footwear.
• Kennesaw State Athletics also introduced a whole new family of logos that appear on team apparel, facilities and a re-designed www.ksuowls.com athletics website.
• The KSU Convocation Center also has a refurbished floor, sparkling new video board with sponsorship signage on the south end, a ribbon board on the north side under the hospitality suite, a new LED scorer’s table and media tables highlight the atmospheric changes to the seven-year old facility.
ABOUT KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY:
• Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering more than 80 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and nursing and a new Ph.D in international conflict management. A member of the 35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population of more than 24,600 from 130 countries.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
