KSU at USC Upstate Box Score (PDF)
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Kennesaw State's
Terrell Burden scored 20 points to lead five Owls in double figures as the Owls shot over 50% for the second time this year on the way to their first road victory of the season, 84-77 at USC Upstate in men's college basketball action Saturday night in the G.B. Hodge Center. With their third straight win, the Owls are out to the best start in school history at 7-3, while also collecting their sixth straight in the all-time series with the Spartans.
ROCK SOLID PLAYER OF THE GAME: Burden was sensational on Saturday night, punishing USC Upstate with drive after drive into the paint. He finished the night 9-of-12 from the floor, while also adding game-highs in both assists (six) and steals (five).
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls finished the night hitting a season-high 51.8% (29-of-56) from the floor, and were also 9-of-21 from three-point land for 42.9%. Meanwhile, the Owls, the top field goal defensive squad in the Atlantic Sun, limited Upstate to just 34.3% shooting for the night (23-67).
THE FIRST HALF: KSU could not buy a basket at the start, missing its first four shots while falling behind 7-1. The Owls came back and took the lead on a
RJ Johnson jumper for a 13-12 advantage at the 12:51 mark. That would become a trend during the game, as both teams made runs at each other, and the contest would see a total of 11 ties and 17 lead changes. The Spartans did hold the lead the majority of the first half, until five straight points from
Demond Robinson put the Owls up 37-33 with 1:19 to play. Upstate answered with a three-pointer with 33 seconds on the clock, but
Quincy Ademokoya ended the half with a trey of his own from the corner to put KSU up 40-36 at halftime.
THE SECOND HALF: The Owls looked to be in control after a 7-0 run for a 56-50 lead midway through the second half. An 11-4 run put the home team back ahead though, and the lead changed hands twice more. Upstate took its final lead on a dunk at the 9:18 mark for a 63-62 advantage, but Burden responded with back-to-back baskets in the paint, while
Jamel King sank two free throws to put KSU back up five. A three-pointer would bring Upstate within one, and it was a two-point game with under a minute left. KSU had possession and was looking to run a play when the Spartans knocked the ball near midcourt.
Simeon Cottle raced over to pick up the ball, and with the shot clock winding down, took a dribble before draining a near midcourt shot that went through the net at the shot clock buzzer. That put KSU up 82-77 with 25.9 seconds left, essentially sealing the victory.
POSTGAME QUOTES
KSU HEAD COACH ANTOINE PETTWAY
"A great effort on the road. Our guys responded to adversity, we talked that we had to be the most connected and hardest playing team on the court to have a chance to beat a good Upstate team tonight. I thought we had multiple guys step up and make defensive play, running shooters off the line and rebounding which led to fast break points. Terrell, the back-to-back charges he drew really changed the momentum of the game, and he just lived in the paint on offense with his ability to get to the basket. His leadership tonight was tremendous. All these guys, they play hard, they play for each other, they are winners. Quincy made big shot after big shot, Frankquon (Sherman) had a great game off the bench, while Simeon, I love having the ball in his hands at the end of the game, I have a tremendous belief in this group and we're going to keep it going."
NOTES
-This was the second game Cottle made a big shot in the final minute to seal the win for the Owls, as on Dec. 2, he connected on a buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat UNC Asheville 79-76 in overtime in Kennesaw.
-The Owls shot 73.9% (17-23) at the free throw line, snapping a four-game streak of hitting under 65% at the charity stripe. King led the way at the line, going 7-of-8.
-Also in double-figures for KSU was King with a career-high 18 points and nine rebounds, Robinson with 15 points and also nine rebounds, Cottle with 13 points and Ademokoya with 10.
-KSU has won six straight against teams currently in the Big South Conference after Tuesday's victory.
-The win was the first road win in KSU first-year head coach
Antoine Pettway's career.
-The Owls have now won their past six games in the all-time series with USC Upstate.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls, will conclude a stretch of three straight games against Big South competition when they return to the Palmetto State to face Presbyterian on Saturday, Dec. 16 in a 2 p.m. contest in Clinton, S.C.
