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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Kennesaw State men's basketball team kept it close with some stellar defense in the first half, but Lipscomb eventually pulled away in the second period to down the Owls 86-57 in Nashville Monday night.
 
How it happened: After a steal and a jumper from Bryson Lockley opened the game, the Bisons (14-4, 5-0) jumped ahead with a quick 7-0 run. After buckets from Isaac Mbuyamba and Tyler Hooker pulled KSU (3-17, 0-5) back within three, 9-6, at the 15:26 mark, the Owls went nearly seven minutes without a field goal.
 
KSU kept it close utilizing the free throw line and some stout defensive play to keep Lipscomb's lead within single-digits despite going cold from the floor. Kyle Clarke finally broke the drought with just under nine minutes to play to make it 20-12, but an 8-3 swing gave the Bisons a 13-point lead, their largest of the half, 28-15. 
 
A 6-0 run for the Owls, capped off by a dunk from Antonio Spencer, brought KSU back within 10, 33-26, with over three minutes to go. The two teams then proceeded to trade trips to the free throw line to close out the half with Lipscomb leading 41-33. Both squads made 12 buckets from the charity stripe in the first half with KSU going 12-of-15 from the line.
 
Bobby Parker opened the second half with a three-pointer, but Lipscomb responded with a 10-2 run to push its lead back to double-figures, 52-39, with 16 minutes to go. KSU recorded the lone bucket over the next four minutes, before the Bisons began to heat up from beyond the arc. 
 
Lipscomb went 5-of-5 from three-point range over the next few minutes to extend their lead to 74-45 at the seven-minute mark. The Bisons maintained that lead the rest of the way, answering KSU shot-for-shot in the final minutes, shooting 55 percent from the floor in the second half.
 
Notes: Tyler Hooker extended his double-digit streak to 14 games, leading the team with 14 points … Bobby Parker scored nine points in the second half, finishing with 12 total, hitting double-digits for the third time in the last four games … Bryson Lockley nearly recorded his fourth double-double of the year with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds … Isaac Mbuyamba recorded three blocks, the sixth time this season he's logged two or more blocks in a game … Lockley tied his career-high with six made free-throws, going 6-of-7 from the line … The Owls have attempted at least 20 free-throws in three straight game, sinking 15 or more in each contest … KSU's 23 fouls ties its season-high, marking only the third time this year KSU has committed over 20 fouls.
 
Up next: The Owls take on ASUN-newcomers North Alabama Thursday night at 7 p.m. EST in Florence.