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KENNESAW, Ga. – Redshirt-junior Tyler Hooker put on a show, scoring a career-high 30 points Saturday against Belmont, but the Bruins pulled away late to win 91-53.
 
How it happened: The Owls (1-6) and the Bruins (5-0) battled throughout the opening minutes of the first half, as a layup from Isaac Mbuyamba knotted the game at 9-9 at the 15:26 mark. After a three-pointer form Belmont's Caleb Hollander, KSU proceeded to go on a 12-3 run over the next five minutes to lead 21-15.
 
Belmont fought back to tie the game, 24-24, following a layup with 7:19 left to play. That layup sparked a 19-0 run for Belmont to lead 41-24 at the 2:45 mark. Hooker finally broke the drought for KSU scoring the Owls' final seven points of the half, but KSU still trailed 45-31 heading into the locker room.
 
KSU and Belmont went shot-for-shot to open the second half, but the Bruins began to heat up from outside the arc, utilizing three straight three-pointers to take a 68-41 lead at the 10:21 mark. After two layups from Hooker made it 74-48 with 7:55 left to play, the Owls proceeded to go without a bucket for the next seven minutes as Belmont built an 88-50 lead.
 
Freshman Adili Kuerban finally broke the drought with a three-pointer with 33 seconds left, his first career points at KSU. The Bruins were 7-of-15 from three-point range in the second half.
 
Notes: Tyler Hooker has recorded a career-high in back-to-back games, scoring 25 or more points in the last two contests … Hooker has finished in double-figures in five straight games … Bryson Lockley led the team with eight rebounds, the fourth time this season he has recorded seven or more rebounds in a game … Isaac Mbuyamba recorded two blocks on the day, his second straight game with two or more blocks.
 
Up Next: The Owls head to Athens to take on in-state rival Georgia Tuesday at 4 p.m.