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LETHBRIDGE, Alberta – Kennesaw State used a late 7-0 rally to take a one-point lead with five minutes to play, but Kent State grabbed two key offensive rebounds for putbacks in the next few minutes to hold off the Owls 67-60 on the third day of the Western Slam from the ENMAX Centre. The Owls dropped to 6-3 with the setback, while Kent State improved to 6-2 for the season.
STAT OF THE GAME: Kent State held a 16-8 edge on second chance points and 14-6 on points off turnovers. The Owls finished with 17 turnovers and were outrebounded 43-40.
THE FIRST HALF: For the second straight day the Owls started out with a big early lead, as Simeon Cottle scored the game's first five points while a pair of Braedan Lue free throws gave Kennesaw State a 9-2 edge six minutes into the game. Kent State woke up on offense after that, going on an 11-0 run over a four-minute span, and went up 13-9 with 10:59 on the clock. The lead in the first half grew as high as seven twice for the Golden Flashes, the second time at 27-20 with 4:33 to play. The Owls shot their way back into the game thanks to a 9-2 run, with a Cottle trey making it a 29-29 score with 1:51 to play. Kent State had the last run though, finishing off the half with six unanswered for a 35-29 halftime advantage.
THE SECOND HALF: It was a defensive battle in the second half with both teams struggling to connect on shots from the floor. The Owls first closed within a single possession with 16:35 to play after a pair of Rongie Gordon free throws, and they never led the grow past six points. After Kent State went up 52-46, Cottle started a 7-0 run, which featured a three-point play from Adrian Wooley and two free throws from Jamil Miller for a 53-52 lead with 5:11 on the clock. Kent State scored on back-to-back possessions though for a three-point edge and never trailed again. After Lue scored to make it a 58-57 game, Kent State scored the next four points and the Owls couldn't find enough points in the final minutes.
POSTGAME COMMENTS
HEAD COACH ANTOINE PETTWAY
"Tough loss against a very good, experienced team in Kent State. I thought our guys came out and competed today, it was a great effort, we just couldn't finish at the end. This tournament will serve us well going forward as we were able to get valuable experience for our young guys in competitive games, and it was a learning experience for our entire team. Now we head back and work on getting better in practice before facing a talented Georgia State. I'm super proud of how our guys competed the entire week in Canada."
NOTES
- Cottle paced KSU with 17 points and he was a perfect 6-of-6 at the line. Lue also finished in double-figures with 13 points and five rebounds.
- KSU held the Golden Flashes to just 28.6% shooting (18-of-63), while the Owls made 17-of-52 from the floor for 32.7%. Both teams finished under 20% from three-point range as well (Kent State – 17.2%, Kennesaw State – 18.2%).
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls return to Georgia for their next contest, as KSU will take on Georgia State in Atlanta on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in a game streamed live on ESPN+.
