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HUNTSVILLE, Texas – In a high scoring, fast-paced Conference USA men's basketball battle, Kennesaw State nearly rallied from a 15-point second half deficit until Sam Houston countered with a game-changing run to claim a 93-87 win over the Owls on Wednesday night from the Johnson Coliseum. The loss snapped KSU's four-game win streak, moving them to 12-7 overall, 4-4 in league play. The Bearkats meanwhile improved to 12-7, and also 4-4 in the conference.
STAT OF THE GAME: KSU came into the game holding teams to under 40% shooting for the season, but the Kats would finish 35-of-63 for 56% from the floor, including an 11-of-22 night from three-point range. The Owls meanwhile were held to 41.7% (30-of-72), and 38.2% (13-of-34) from behind the arc.
THE FIRST HALF: The story of the opening half was Sam Houston's shooting from the floor 53.1%), especially from three-point range where the Bearkats were 8-of-15 for 53%. The Owls countered though by forcing the ball inside on their end, which was rewarded by an 8-of-8 performance at the free throw line. Sam Houston meanwhile was just 1-of-3 at the charity stripe in the first half. The Kats led the entire half, but never by more than six points, and took a 43-39 lead at the break. The duo of
RJ Johnson (15 points) and
Braedan Lue (10 points) carried the way on offense, while
Frankquon Sherman collected six first-half rebounds.
THE SECOND HALF: After
Trey Simpson drained a three-pointer to bring KSU within 51-49 with 15:39 to play, the Kats looked to take control of the game with a 16-3 run, giving them a 67-52 advantage. A three from Johnson ignited the Owls' rally, as KSU would hit four from downtown, fueling a 19-6 run over a five-minute stretch. A three from
Jaden Harris and a layup from Sherman made it a two-point game, 73-71, and it was a two-point game again at 75-73 with 4:50 on the clock. The Kats then took over by scoring 13 of the game's next 15 points, claiming an 88-75 advantage with two minutes to play. The Owls did score 12 points over the final two minutes but it wasn't enough as they would fall on the Kats' home court for the second straight year.
NOTES
- For the third straight game Johnson recorded a new career-high, as he finished with 32 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists.
- Also in double-figures was Lue with 18, Simpson with 17, and Harris with a season-high 10 points, his career best as an Owl.
- The leading rebounder in Conference USA, Sherman finished the night with a game-high 12.
- KSU did win the rebounding battle 41-36, and turned the ball over just eight times. However, the Kats made better use of their forced miscues, finishing with a 14-5 advantage on points off turnovers.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls conclude their three-game road swing with a contest at Louisiana Tech, a game now rescheduled for Friday at 2 pm (ET) in Ruston. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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.
