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KENNESAW, Ga. – Even with a season-high 26 points from junior guard Delbert Love, the Kennesaw State men's basketball team couldn't close the gap on North Florida, falling in the 2013-14 season finale 87-77 on Saturday afternoon in the KSU Convocation Center.
 
The Owls recognized senior forward Andrew Osemhen for his four-year career with KSU as well as head student manager Justin Blanchette during the afternoon as the Owls ended their season at 6-25 overall and 3-15 in the conference standings.
 
"This is a bittersweet one," said Kennesaw State interim head coach Jimmy Lallathin "Of course because of the ending of one season and the beginning of the next. It's always tough. But this is Andrew's day. We want to thank him for his time and commitment to this program. And we want him to know wherever he goes he will always be an Owl. Whatever we do in the future, our successes will be because of him and the foundation he helped set."
 
The Owls never led in the ballgame but did keep things close, playing to three ties in the first four minutes of action, the last setting things at 8-8 on a Bernard Morena layup.
 
A 12-2 run from UNF (16-15, 10-8 A-Sun) then set the visitors up by 10 at 23-13 with nine minutes to play in the opening period. KSU took off on a 5-0 run with another Morena layup closing the gap over the one-minute span.
 
A Love three-pointer sent the lead down to just three points, 32-29, with 3:46 to play, but it was UNF that ended the half on a hot streak, scoring back-to-back baskets to send the game into the intermission at 41-33.
 
Out of the break it was Love who kept things going, scoring on the jumper after a UNF turnover to start things off. The Ospreys would then extend their lead over the next 10 minutes, holding their largest advantage of the game at 63-47 with 8:48 on the clock.
 
The Owls managed to cut it to just a three-possession game on seven separate occasions in the final five minutes of action, the last coming at the :41 second mark on a pair of Nigel Pruitt free throws, but UNF held strong, going on to take the 10-point win.
 
Along with Love's 26-point, 11-of-15 night from the field, the Owls also placed Nate Rucker and Morena in double-figure scoring, Rucker tipping in 13 and Morena adding in 10.
 
As a team, KSU shot 46 percent from the field while putting in 48 points in the paint.
 
Orlando Coleman again led the Owls on the boards as the sophomore brought in six rebounds to go with his six points.
 
The Owls will now break for two weeks before prepping for the 2014-15 offseason.

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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