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SPARTANBURG, S.C.  – With the clock running down and Kennesaw State trailing by one, Anthony Wilson hit a turn-around jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining to defeat USC Upstate on the road 81-80.
 
The Owls trailed almost the entire game and faced their biggest deficit of the game down 65-52 With 13:31 remaining. The Spartans were on a 12-0 run forcing Kennesaw State to use a timeout. From there, KSU finished the game on a 29-15 run to seal their big road win against USC Upstate.
 
The Owls defense stepped up holding the Spartans without a field goal for almost six minutes until they hit a three at the 1:15 mark to briefly take the lead before the Owls responded. Over the final 2:30 there were five lead changes as the teams exchanged blows back and forth with big shot after big shot.
 
Not only did Wilson hit the game winner, but he also had a game high with 22 points, pulled down six rebounds and dished out four assists. The 22 points was a career high.
 
To start the game, Kennesaw State found itself in a 10-point hole early, but the Owls stayed aggressive on offense and got back into the game at the free throw line. KSU went 17-17 in the first half from the charity stripe.
 
The success from the line brought the Owls back to trail 44-43 at halftime.
 
Nick Masterson was key on offense in the first half as the senior had 13 points at the break to lead Kennesaw State.
 
Out of the locker room, USC Upstate pushed their lead to six, but the Owls got it back to one point when the Spartans went on that 12-0 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 65-52.

That's when the Owls settled in to finish the game with a 29-15 run to win.
 
This is the largest deficit that the Owls have overcome this season and second time they have won when facing a second-half deficit.
 
Tyler Hooker had a bunch of family at the game and was the third player in double figures with 11 points. Five of those 11 points were crucial in the comeback and one was a three to put KSU up two points with 2:14 remaining.
 
Now Kennesaw State will look to keep the momentum on the road against NJIT on Monday, January 29 at 7 p.m.

#NestNotes

• This is the first victory on the road for the Owls this season and pushes KSU to 6-16 and 2-5 in the ASUN.
• This is the second time this season that the Owls have faced a deficit in the second half and come out with a victory. The first was Samford, but the largest deficit was three.
• This is the largest deficit that the Owls have overcome this season. The Owls trailed by 13 with 13:31 remaining.
• Wilson had a career day just in time for the Owls. The sophomore had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists.
• Two other KSU players scored in double figures as Masterson had 16 points and Hooker had 11. Masterson scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half.
• After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half, Kennesaw State got back into the game at the free throw line. The Owls were a perfect 17-17 in the first half from the charity stripe.
• The Owls were aggressive in taking the ball to the basket, absorbing contact and finishing as they were getting fouled. In the first half, Kennesaw State had three traditional three-point plays. Coming into the game, the team totaled 15 so far this season.
• For the game, Kennesaw State had 17 assists on 27 field goals. In the first half, the Owls had 10 assists on 12 field goals.

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