Box Score
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HUNTSVILLE, Texas – After falling behind by 20 points at halftime, Kennesaw State nearly pulled off one of the largest comebacks in school history, taking a one-point lead in the final minutes but Simeon Cottle's running jumper at the buzzer was just off the mark, leaving the Owls with a 78-76 setback at Sam Houston in Conference USA men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon from the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. The loss dropped KSU to 15-11 overall, 7-6 in CUSA play.
STAT OF THE GAME: Sam Houston shot 54% from the floor in the opening half (15-of-28) and 6-of-14 from three-point range (43%), while the Owls were held to just 33% (9-of-27). That turned out to be just enough of a difference for the Bearkats to hold on for the win.
THE FIRST HALF: It was a tight game in the opening minutes, until 9-1 run opened up a 20-12 edge for Sam Houston. The Owls climbed back into the game from outside, and Ricardo Wright knocked in a pair from three-point land two minutes apart to bring KSU within 27-26 with 8:00 on the clock. However, that was also the last field goal of the half for the Owls, who would only manage a pair of free throws from Wright in the final eight minutes. The Bearkats meanwhile had no trouble finding the bottom of the net, ending the half on a 19-2 run to go up 48-28 at the half.
THE SECOND HALF: The second half story was offense by the Owls, and it started from downtown. Three makes from behind the arc in the opening two minutes quickly brought KSU within 50-37. The lead was 10 in favor of Sam Houston when Simeon Cottle drained a jumper to start a 17-7 spurt. Frankquon Sherman scored 12 points during the run, while Cottle's trey at 6:36 tied the game at 63-63. With the Owls down two, Cottle hit another three-pointer, this time at 4:02 for a 73-72 lead, but the Bearkats scored on the other end, then was award both the ball and two free throws after an Owl layup was blocked out of bounds and a technical was called on the KSU bench. Sam Houston led 75-73 when Sherman again knocked in a three to go up one, before the Bearkats responded with a basket and the one-point lead, 77-76 with 1:08 to play. KSU missed on its next possession, then forced misfire and got the defensive rebound with 15 seconds left. KSU had two layup attempts that could have given them the lead but neither fell in, and Sam Houston got the ball and was fouled. The Bearkats made 1-of-2 at the line, and after a timeout the Owls ran an inbounds play that got Cottle a running look at the basket from inside the arc, but the shot would not fall at the buzzer.
NOTES
- Cottle finished with 21 points to pace the Owls while he knocked down five total shots from three-point range.
- Also in double-figures was Sherman with a season-high 19 points. Freshman Adrian Wooley was limited after being called for four fouls, finishing with 15 points. Wright was the final player in double-figures with 10.
- As a team, KSU shot 42.1% (24-of-57) from the floor, and 41.7% (15-of-36) from three-point range.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls return home for its final two home games of the season, starting on Thursday, Feb. 20 with a 7 p.m. contest against UTEP in the Convocation Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
