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KENNESAW, Ga.  – After trailing the entire game, Kennesaw State men's basketball used a late 9-0 run fueled by freshman Tyler Hooker to take the lead and secure a 71-65 victory in the KSU Convocation Center on Wednesday, January 25.
 
Hooker scored the final nine points for the Owls to scratch out the win. The team took the lead for good when he hit his third three pointer of the game with 2:47 remaining to go up 65-63. The freshman point guard had a new career high with 16 points.
 
KSU got in foul trouble quickly in the first half as Aubrey Williams got two fouls in the first three minutes and Kendrick Ray was called for three fouls after only totaling seven minutes.
 
Needing a boost, Nick Masterson's scoring and Anthony Wilson's hustle kept the Owls within striking distance. After falling down by as many as 11 points, Kennesaw State trailed by seven at the half after a Jordan Jones jumper with seven seconds left in the first 20 minutes.
 
The Owls came out with urgency in the second half hitting their first three field goals to get within one point of NJIT, but the Highlanders responded pushing the lead back out to seven quickly.
 
KSU took their first lead of the game by going on an 8-0 run to go up 60-58 with 5:31 remaining, but it was short lived as NJIT ran off a quick 5-0 run of their own to go back up by three.
 
Needing someone to make a play, Williams hit a jumper to get within one and the it was Hooker's turn to take over. After getting a stop, Hooker sank a trey to put KSU back on top for good. The Owls finished the game making 6-8 shots from the floor and held NJIT to just 1-7 and just two points over the final 4:22 of the game.
 
Ray scored 13 points in the second half and led the team overall with 18. He also led the team with seven assists.
 
Two other Owls were in double figures with Ray and Hooker as Masterson went 5-8 from the floor and 4-4 from behind to arc to have 16 points and Williams toatled 12 points.

Zach Cameron led the team with 10 rebounds while playing 31 minutes.
 
The win moves Kennesaw State's record to 9-13 and 3-3 in league play.
 
The Owls are on the road this weekend for a pair of games. They begin at USC Upstate on Saturday, January 28 for a 2 p.m. game.
 
#NestNotes

• The win is the second in a row for Kennesaw State moving them to 3-3 in ASUN play. The Owls are currently one game out of second place as North Florida, USC Upstate and Lipscomb are all tied at 4-2.
• Hooker stepped up for KSU at the end scoring the final nine points for the Owls and hitting a three pointer with 2:47 remaining to put them back in front for the final time. The 16 points was a career high for the freshman and he also had five assists.
• Overall, the Owls only led for 3:32 of the game with the majority of that coming in the final three minutes. NJIT led for 34:41 and the game was tied for 1:47.
• Ray once again was big on the offensive end for KSU. After being called for three fouls in seven minutes in the first half, he responded by scoring 13 in the second half. Ray also led the team with seven assists and only one turnover. Over the last two games, he has totaled 13 assists to only two turnovers.
• Zach Cameron saw a career high 31 minutes and posted his first double-digit rebounding effort of his career with 10.
• Kennesaw State outscored NJIT 42-29 in the final 20 minutes.
• This is the first victory for the Owls over the Highlanders in program history. NJIT joined the ASUN last season and KSU dropped both meetings.

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.