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STOCKTON, Calif.  – Kennesaw State men's basketball closed out a long road trip at Pacific on Tuesday, December 21. The Tigers got the best of the Owls 69-56 at the Alex G. Spanos Center in Stockton, California.
 
Kendrick Ray scored 22 to lead the Owls. It is the eighth time this season he has posted 20-plus points.
 
Pacific came out red hot hitting seven of their first eight shots and grabbed control of the game early. The Tigers built a double-digit lead later in the half, but Ray brought the Owls back, scoring or assisting on the last 11 points over the final five minutes in the opening half. On the final play, Ray drove to the basket and hit Jordan Jones for a dunk to cut the deficit to 37-34 at halftime.
 
With KSU taking the momentum into the locker room, Pacific came out with intensity in the opening minutes of the second half. The Tigers stretched their lead back to double-digits before the first media timeout and the Owls struggled to get back in it from there, shooting 28 percent in the final 20 minutes.
 
Kennesaw State had 14 assists to only eight turnovers in the game. The eight turnovers was the least they've had so far this season.
 
With the defeat to Pacific, Kennesaw State is 0-3 in the Gotham Classic and will now head home to finish off the tournament in the KSU Convocation Center against N.C. A&T on December 22 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3.

#NestNotes

• Ray led the Owls in scoring for the 10^th time this season with his 22 points. It was the eighth time this year he has scored at least 20 points.
• Zach Cameron, originally from Sacramento, California, played in front of family and friends that made the trip over to Stockton. The freshman center finished with four rebounds and an assist in 15 minutes.
• The Owls had 14 assists to just eight turnovers in the game. That is the least amount of turnovers the team has had this year.
• This was the first meeting between Kennesaw State and Pacific.

 
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.