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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – It was a game of two halves for Kennesaw State men's basketball, as the Owls could not find a basket to start the afternoon and fell behind by 26 at halftime, before coming back with a 53-point second half to make the final margin just 11 points in a 92-81 setback to 16
th-ranked Alabama on Sunday afternoon in the Rocket City Classic at the VBC Propst Arena. KSU dropped to 8-4 with the loss, while the Crimson Tide improved to 9-3.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls managed just three total field goals in the first 13 minutes of the contest, and finished the first half shooting 29.4% (10-of-34), and 16.7% (2-of-12) from three-point range.
THE FIRST HALF: While KSU had its shooting struggles to start, the Owls made up for it with strong defense to begin the contest, as they held the Tide to just 11 points in the first eight minutes, while a pair of
Ramone Seals free throws brought KSU within 11-6. Alabama quickly took control though, going on a 16-2 run over the next 4:30 for a 27-8 advantage. The lead grew as high as 27 in the half before Alabama hit a trey at the halftime buzzer for a 54-28 advantage.
THE SECOND HALF: KSU came out ready to play in the second half, as the two teams went back and forth at each other basket for basket. The Owls score 15 of the first 29 points of the half in the first five minutes, after taking 15 minutes to reach that total in the opening half. KSU slowly chipped away at the lead the rest of the way, bringing it under 20 at 76-58 after an 11-3 run. KSU then finished off the game with a 16-6 run over the final five minutes to account for the final margin of 11 points.
NOTES
- Against the more physical Alabama squad, Kennesaw State won the rebounding battle 46-41. The Owls came into the contest as the top rebounding team in the nation.
- KSU shot 57.1% (20-of-35) from the floor in the second half, and 43.5% (30-of-69) for the afternoon.
- The Owls were hurt by 16 turnovers, which led to a 22-10 edge for Alabama for points off turnovers.
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Simeon Cottle paced the Owls with 20 points, one of five players to finish in double-figures.
-
Braedan Lue and
Frankquon Sherman both finished with double-doubles, as Lue finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Sherman added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- Huntsville native
RJ Johnson scored 16 points and Seals added 10 points.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls break for Christmas before return to Conference USA action with a two-game road trip, starting with a Friday, January 2 contest at Liberty on ESPNU at 7 p.m.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
