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Score: Kennesaw State 67, Bellarmine 84
Records: Kennesaw State (3-14, 0-9), Bellarmine (8-5, 5-2)
Key Players: Brandon Stroud (10 pts, 8 rebs, 3 assts), Spencer Rodgers (10 pts 2 rebs, 2 assts), Chris Youngblood (9 pts, 3 assts) and Alex Peterson (8 pts, 4-of-4 FGs).
 
THE STORYLINE 
The Kennesaw State men's basketball team was bested by Bellarmine Friday evening as the Knights jumped out to an early lead and held on to down the Owls 84-67 in the first ever meeting between the two squads.

ABDUR-RAHIM QUOTES
On his thoughts about the game…
"It's the same thing over and over, it's a tale of two halves. We give up 50 points one half, we score 26, we come out the second half, and I think we played with a lot more spirit a lot more toughness and hold them to 34 points and we score 41 points. But again, I need to figure out a way to help us have better starts. I think we do a pretty good job in preparation, but obviously we just need to go back and look at it. I'm not for a second going to put it on our guys, that's the responsibility of me as the head coach and us as a staff. We have to get better."

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Owls opened the game with back-to-back buckets to take a 4-0 lead, but the Knights quickly responded going on a 14-0 run to pull ahead 14-4 at the 15:50 mark. Spencer Rodgers finally snapped the run with a jumper.  

KSU got back within 10 following back-to-back three-pointers from Jamie Lewis and Chris Youngblood to cut the lead to 24-16 midway through the half. But that would be as close as the Owls would get as Bellarmine answered with a 13-0 run to push their lead to 37-16 with just under five minutes to play. Rodgers and freshman Kenny Burns attempted to spark a late run with a pair of treys, but Bellarmine scored 11 of the final 15 points as a dunk from Alex Peterson sent KSU into the locker room trailing 50-26.

Bellarmine shot 60.6 percent from the floor in the opening period, including 17 points off 11 Owl turnovers.

Both squads came out shooting to open the second half trading buckets over the first three minutes. The two teams continued to trade shots as KSU attempted to cut into the lead, but the Knights managed to push their lead to as high as 35, 78-43, at the 8:06 mark. A quick 7-0 run, capped off by a three-pointer from Rodgers, cut into Bellarmine's lead as the Owls owned the final five minutes of the game.

KSU closed out the game on a 14-2 run, capped off by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Glenn Robinson to earn the final score of 84-67. The Owls outscored Bellarmine 41-34 in the second half.

NOTES
- Brandon Stroud nearly recorded his second double-double of the season, leading the team with 10 points and nine rebounds, while tying his career-high with three assists.
- Kenny Burns tied his career high with six points, going 2-for-3 from three-point range.
- KSU's 15 assists marks the second most dimes recorded in a game this season.
- The Owls shot 50 percent from the floor, their third game this season shooting 50 percent or better.
- Bellarmine outscored KSU 56-28 in the paint.

UP NEXT
The Owls and Knights square off for game two Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. EST.

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.