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FARGO, N.D. – The Kennesaw State men's basketball team put up an impressive offensive showing on Saturday evening, finding five players in double-figure scoring while earning an 83-80 win over Alcorn State to wrap-up the Owls time in the 2K Classic benefiting the Wounded Warriors Project.
 
Junior Orlando Coleman propelled the Owls with his second double-double of the year, scoring a season-high 20 points to go with his career-best 14 rebounds.
 
"It feels good," said KSU head coach Jimmy Lallathin following the win. "We did some things that we need to clean up late in the game, but it's good to get the win and learn from that rather than taking the loss. We just need to learn how to win and close out games and that's something we'll look at on film on Monday and get ready for Samford on Wednesday."
 
KSU got going in a hurry against the Braves, Willy Kouassi taking the tip and Yonel Brown putting in the three just 11 seconds into the contest. Kouassi followed the three up with a slam before a Coleman# layup set the Owls up by five at 7-2.
 
After a made ASU field goal brought the Kennesaw State lead down to five at the 10-minute mark, KSU lunged out on a 7-0 run, Bernard Morena putting in five of those points to give the Owls a 13-25 lead.
 
Brown hit on another triple moments later to give the Owls their largest lead of the half at 13 with just under eight to play, but the Braves stormed back, cutting the lead down to just five points over the next 1:30 at 28-23.
 
But in a half of runs it was KSU that came out on top in the first 20 minutes, ending things with nine straight points to go into the locker room up 44-29.
 
Alcorn State managed to bring the lead down to 12 one minute into the second after a quick three and a layup, but the Owls quickly extended their lead to 17 with a layup from Brown and a triple from Nick Masterson.
 
Three costly turnovers over the next three minutes from the Owls gave the Braves life as they cut the KSU lead down to 11 for the first time since the opening period at 59-48. But Coleman answered with a layup followed by a Kouassi block that turned into three more from Masterson, setting KSU up 64-48 at the halfway point in the second.
 
One last surge from the Braves brought the lead down to 11 at 66-55 with 6:50 to play, but a Coleman jumper and a Morena put-back gave the Owls back the 15-point edge.
 
KSU would have to hold off a late surge from the Braves, who cut it to just a one-possession game at 80-77 with 20 seconds to go, but two free throws from Brown put the game on ice, giving the Owls the win.
 
While Coleman's 20 points were tops for KSU, Masterson would finish with 11, the most in the young career for the freshman, while Pruitt and Brown each put in 11 of their own.
 
Kouassi each ended the game with 10 to go with his four blocks.
 
As a team, KSU shot 45 percent from the field while outrebounding ASU 47-39 with 30 of those coming on the defensive end, holding the Braves to just 12 second-chance points.
 
The Owls will make their long-awaited 2014-15 home debut this Wednesday, November 26, at 2 p.m. ET as Samford heads to the KSU Convocation Center.


To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State men's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsMBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
 
Season tickets are currently available for all the home court action for the Owls and can be purchased by following the link here.