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Score: Kennesaw State 54, North Florida 69
Records: Kennesaw State (3-12, 0-7), North Florida (5-10, 3-2)
Key Players: Spencer Rodgers (14 pts, 3 assts), Kasen Jennings (11 pts, 2 assts), Chris Youngblood (9 pts, 6 rebs), Nate Springs (8 pts, 6 rebs) and Alex Peterson (6 pts, 4 rebs)
 
THE STORYLINE: 
After pulling it close the Kennesaw State men's basketball failed to hang on late as North Florida's second half run propelled the Ospreys to a 69-54 win Friday night in UNF Arena.

ABDUR-RAHIM QUOTES:
On tonight's game…
"Tough loss tonight. I thought our guys competed and executed our game plan. We had a three-minute stretch late in the second half where I felt like we let our offense dictate our defensive energy and we allowed some transition baskets that we had done a great job of taking away all game. We will get back, get some rest and be ready to play again tomorrow."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
It was a back-and-forth start to Friday night's game until Spencer Rodgers and Kasen Jennings netted back-to-back three-pointers to give KSU a 10-5 lead at the 16:02 mark. After a quick 5-0 run from the Ospreys, Rodgers and Nate Springs recorded jumpers to keep the Owls on top, 16-10. North Florida eventually took the lead behind a 7-0 run to make it 17-16 with 10:44 to play, but Springs responded with the next five straight points to spark a 7-0 run and give KSU a 23-17 lead.

Both teams traded buckets in the final minutes, but the Ospreys managed to end the period on a 5-0 run to knot the game at 26-26 at halftime.

Springs already had a season-high at halftime, netting seven of his eight points in the opening period.

After trading buckets to open the second half, UNF took control with an 8-2 run to lead 36-30. Rodgers fired back with eight straight points, including two three-pointers, to put KSU in front 38-36 at the 14:09 mark. The Ospreys eventually re-took the lead with a 10-0 run to make it 47-40 with 9:03 to go, but a quick 5-0 run capped off by a trey from Chris Youngblood pulled it back to within two.

From there it was all Ospreys as UNF outscored KSU 22-4 over the next six minutes, shooting 65.2 percent from the floor in the second half, to take a 69-49 lead with 1:44 left to play. The Owls scored the final five points in the game, four from Jennings alone, to earn the final score.

NOTES
- Nate Springs recorded a season-high eight points to go along with a career-high six rebounds.
- Chris Youngblood tied his career-high for the third time with six boards.
- Kasen Jennings had his fourth game this season in double-figures with 11 points.
- The Owls finished with 13 assists, the sixth time this year they've recorded double-digit dimes.
- UNF outscored KSU 36-16 in the paint.

UP NEXT
The Owls close out their weekend in Jacksonville taking on the Ospreys for game two Saturday evening at 5 p.m. ET.

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.