KSU vs North Alabama Box Score (PDF) | KSU Postgame Press Conference
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State senior guard
Terrell Burden scored 31 of his school record 37 points after halftime as he nearly carried the Owls to a win by himself, but too many missed opportunities for KSU in the final minutes led to a 90-84 setback to North Alabama in Atlantic Sun Conference action Wednesday night from the Convocation Center. The loss snapped the Owls' 11-game home win streak, which had been the 19
th-longest streak in the nation, and dropped KSU to 13-7 overall, 4-2 in league play.
STAT OF THE GAME: North Alabama hit nine three-pointers in the first half and finished 12-of-28 for the game (42.9%), after coming into the night averaging just over seven made per game. KSU meanwhile was limited to just 6-of-30 (20%). That included a 0-7 performance from
Simeon Cottle, who came into the night with a team-high 21-game streak with at least one three-pointer and had been averaging over two made threes a game.
NEW SCHOOL-RECORD: Despite the loss, Burden's game goes to the top of the record book as the most points ever scored by an Owl in a game in the team's Division I history. He finished the night 10-of-20 from the floor, and 16-of-21 from the line while adding four assists and three steals. His 16 made free throws are tied for second-most ever in a game. The previous school record for points (Division I era) was 36, held by both Tyler Hooker (2019) and Yonel Brown (2015).
THE FIRST HALF: Thanks to three early threes in the first four minutes, the Lions jumped out to an early advantage. KSU would answer back with an 11-0 run, sparked by a three-pointer and a three-point play from freshman
RJ Johnson. A
Quincy Ademokoya dunk ended the run, putting KSU up 28-17 with 10:08 to play. UNA responded with a 9-2 spurt of its own, and the game remained close the rest of the half, with the Owls holding onto a 43-42 lead going into the break.
THE SECOND HALF: UNA led by three early after halftime, before Ademokoya tied the game on a trey to make it 50-50 at the 17:35 mark. Burden then took over, scoring 13 of the game's next 16 points. His layup with 11:45 to play gave KSU a 63-53 advantage. The Owls were then held scoreless for the next five minutes, and UNA took advantage with 14 unanswered points, going up 67-63 with 7:45 on the clock. KSU stayed within distance of the Lions, closing within single digits four times before the final minute but UNA kept responding on the other end to push their lead back up. After the Lions went up 82-75 with 42 seconds left, Burden stepped up again, hitting a free throw, a three-pointer, three free throws after being fouled on a three-pointer, and then a layup in a 22-second span to make it a two-point contest with 17 seconds left. UNA went four-of-four at the line in the final 15 seconds to hold off the Owl rally.
NOTES
-Burden's previous career-high had been 28 points, against Queens on Jan. 6.
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Jamel King (14 points) and Cottle (10) also finished in double-figures.
-KSU was held to 38% (25-of-65) from the floor, including 32.4% in the second half.
-The Owls' 28 made free throws (out of 39 attempts) was the fifth most ever in a game.
-KSU's last loss at home was on Feb. 18, 2023 to Queens (83-76).
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls will be on the road to face Central Arkansas in Conway on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. (ET) in a game streamed live on ESPN+.
