KSU at East Carolina Box Score (PDF)
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GREENVILLE, N.C. – All three of Kennesaw State's games in the East Carolina Townebank Holliday Classic came down to the final seconds, and Tuesday night was no different as after
Terrell Burden spun down the lane and sank a layup with 2.6 seconds on the clock for the lead, ECU's Bobby Pettiford drained a beyond half-court shot at the buzzer, giving the Pirates a stunning 85-84 victory. That came at the end of a thrilling 40-minute contest where the lead switch hands nine times and was tied eight, with huge momentum shifts and tough shots made all night long by both teams. Kennesaw State, ECU and Northeastern all finished the three-day event with identical 2-1 records, and the Owls missed posting their first-ever 5-1 start by just one second, falling to 4-2. ECU meanwhile improved to 4-2 as well.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls could not overcome ECU's huge advantage at the line. The host Pirates were awarded 40 free throws and made 28 for a 70.0% clip. KSU meanwhile was a season-low 8-of-16 for 50%. The 29 fouls called against the Owls were also a season-high.
THE FIRST HALF: The game was tied at 9-9 when the Owls went on an 8-0 spurt, capped by back-to-back treys, for a 17-9 lead at the 13:47 mark of the opening half. The lead grew as high as 14, 32-18, off a three-pointer from
Quincy Ademokoya with 9:11 to play in the half. ECU countered with 10 unanswered points, part of a 19-4 run for the Pirates that gave them their first and only lead of the half at 37-36.
Jamel King answered with a three for KSU, and Burden scored a layup with 39 seconds left for a 47-43 lead at the break.
THE SECOND HALF: KSU held a 63-56 lead midway through the second half when the Pirates went on an 8-0 spurt to go back up 64-63 off a three-point play with 8:34 on the clock.
Simeon Cottle then started to heat up, as after the sophomore had been held to just three points through the first 32 minutes, he then scored the next 11 points for KSU. After a pair of
Frankquon Sherman free throws, he drained a trey for a 78-70 lead with 3:08 to play. KSU was then held scoreless for the next two minutes, while ECU scored seven straight to close within 78-77. The game would be tied at 80-80 with 40 seconds to play, and after a Burden layup with 29 seconds left, ECU drained two free throws to again tie the score at 82-82 with 13 seconds left, setting up the final four seconds.
POSTGAME QUOTES
KSU HEAD COACH ANTOINE PETTWAY
"I just loved the way our guys competed tonight. That's our third game in three days, and you couldn't tell it from how well we played tonight. I told them we practice the way we practice, we compete the way we compete in practice, there's a reason for it. There's a method to the madness, and I think we showed it tonight. We competed, we fought, and just didn't get the luck of the draw today, falling on a half-court shot. But I'm just proud of my guys, this group is special, we deserved the win, we just didn't pull it out in the end."
NOTES
-This was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
-Burden became KSU's all-time career assist leader in the contest. He is the only Owl to ever reach 400 career assists, and currently has 404 after posting six tonight. The previous career record was 398, held by Spencer Dixon (2008-12).
-KSU's 14 made three-pointers tied its season-high.
-Five Owls finished in double-figures, led by Burden's 19 points, while Cottle added 16, King 14, Ademokoya 14 and
Demond Robinson 13.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls break for Thanksgiving before going down to Miami to face future Conference USA rival Florida International in a Sunday, Nov. 26 game at 6 p.m.
