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KENNESAW, Ga.  – With time winding down on the clock, Kendrick Ray took a jumper a step inside the three-point line that went in and out as the Kennesaw State men's basketball team dropped a tough game to the Jacksonville Dolphins 79-78 in the KSU Convocation Center.
 
With the game tied, Jacksonville's J.R. Holder hit one free throw to put the Dolphins up one with 49 seconds remaining. After KSU and JU each missed a pair of free throws, Ray's man slipped allowing him to drive to the hoop and hit a layup with 13 seconds left putting the Owls up 78-77.
 
The elation of taking the lead late was short lived for the Owls as Jacksonville came down the floor and Darrien Fernandez found Omar El Manasterly open on the wing and he hit a jumper putting JU back in front for good.
 
There were 11 total lead changes in the game and five of those happened in the final three minutes as both teams kept trading points back and forth.
 
To start the game, Kennesaw State was hot from the floor building an eight-point lead within the first four minutes.
 
Despite the hot shooting by the Owls, Jacksonville stayed with their zone defense and it started paying off for them. In the first half, they forced 14 turnovers scoring 18 points off of them.
 
With the stifling defense, JU built up a lead by as much as eight, but KSU got it down to five at the break.
 
Out of the locker room, Aubrey Williams got the Owls going. After battling foul trouble in the first half, the redshirt senior had a double-double in the second half alone with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
 
His hustle on the offensive glass kept KSU within striking distance, and the Owls finally got over the hump and took the lead back with 7:02 remaining after two Tyler Hooker free throws.
 
Even after taking the lead back, Kennesaw State couldn't get any separation as it remained a one possession game the rest of the time until Ray couldn't get his final shot to fall.
 
Kennesaw State will now turn its attention to North Florida for a 4:30 tilt on Saturday, February 16. After a win tonight, UNF sits one game in front of KSU in the ASUN standings.

#NestNotes

• With the loss tonight to the Dolphins, KSU split with Jacksonville this season as each team secured road victories.
• Four Owls scored in double figures with Williams leading the way with 18. Right behind him was Nick Masterson with 17, Ray with 15 and James Scott with 11.
• Williams had his 17^th double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
• Masterson finished with 17 points going 6-9 from the floor. He scored 15 of his 17 points from behind the arc as he was 5-6 from three-point land.

 

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