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KENNESAW, Ga. – After falling behind by as many as 17 points to Jacksonville University on Thursday night, the Kennesaw State men's basketball team battled all the way back, making it just a one-possession game before the final buzzer, but the Owls ultimately fell, 71-69, in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
 
KSU outscored the Dolphins 42-36 in the final 20 minutes, but a three-pointer from Orlando Coleman landed just short as the Owls fall to 6-24 on the year and 3-14 in the A-Sun despite the valiant comeback effort.
 
"That's a tough one," said Kennesaw State interim head coach Jimmy Lallathin. "The first half we just, I don't know if the opportunity of what this game presented was much for us. I don't think we made decisions conducive with who we are. We were trying to make baskets to try and get us going. I'm going to put it on my shoulders to get us going and we settled for some uncharacteristically bad shots and casual turnovers. We had 15 turnovers in the first half and we had three in the second. It just can't start that way."
 
As a Jarvis Haywood jumper put the Dolphins up by 11 points with 5:42 to go, the KSU offense came to life, starting off with a layup from Nigel Pruitt followed by the three-point free throw.
 
Two more free throws from the Owls then made it just a two-possession game at 64-58 with 3:18 to go. After a dry spell from both teams it was Myles Hamilton who kept things going for KSU with a layup followed by a Orlando Coleman dunk off of the Pruitt assist to make it a two-point game.
 
JU managed to bring its lead back up to four before a Delbert Love triple made it just a one-point game at 70-69 with 12 seconds to go. After the Dolphins hit on one of two free-throw attempts it was the Coleman three-point attempt that fell off the mark to end the game 71-69.
 
"I was telling them in the locker room that the last 10 minutes is a choice," added Lallathin. "Maybe it's the tightness of coming out and saying we know what we have to do to give us a chance to get to the tournament. They're young kids and they're giving you everything they've got. They've been giving me everything they've got since I've started this spot. I'm proud of the steps we've made and we'll continue to make on Saturday and to carry over to next year because we continue to play hard." 
 
After the game went into the break 35-27 JU, the Dolphins pushed their lead up to 16 points 10 minutes in at 54-38. A 10-1 run from the Owls capped off by a Coleman Dunk then made it just a seven-point game at 55-48 Dolphins with just under eight to go.
 
The Dolphins edged their lead up to 12 points over the next three minutes before the big KSU run made things exciting to end the game.
 
From first whistle it was the Dolphins who took control of things early on, going up 10-0 over the first six minutes and 29-12 at the 5:57 mark. With JU on top 31-15 with 4:24 to go, the Owls again sprang to life late in the half, going on an 8-0 run with five of those points coming from Nate Rucker.
 
KSU held strong in the final few minutes of the first, ending the half down just eight.
 
Rucker was tops for both teams with his 17 points, just one shy of matching his career high, to go with his six rebounds and 6-of-8 night from the field.
 
Love made it seven consecutive games scoring in double figures as the junior tipped in 15 with three three-pointers along with Pruitt who scored 11 with three assists.
 
Coleman also put together a nice stat line as he threw in nine points and a team-best nine rebounds. Willy Kouassi aided in the defensive effort with his four blocks and three defensive boards.
 
The Owls will wrap-up the 2013-14 regular season this Saturday, March 1, as North Florida heads to the KSU Convocation Center for a 1 p.m. ET contest. The game will also serve as Senior Day as the Owls recognize forward Andrew Osemhen and manager Justin Rufen-Blanchette.

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.
   
 
 

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