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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – A shorthanded Kennesaw State men's basketball team that played the final 25 minutes of the contest with just seven scholarship players saw dropped a 77-58 road contest at Jax State on Saturday night in Conference USA action from Pete Mathews Coliseum. The Owls dropped to 14-9 overall, 6-6 in league play, while the Gamecocks evened the season series to move to 13-10 overall, 8-4 in CUSA.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Owls shot just 32% (19-of-60) for 32% from the floor, while hitting seven of 34 from three-point land for 21%. Jax State finished the game at 46% from the field, 38% from behind the arc.
THE FIRST HALF: It was a tight contest through the first nine minutes, with a layup from KSU's
Darius Washington III tying the score at 13-13. After four straight Jax State points, a
RJ Johnson dunk brought the Owls within 17-15 with 9:40 on the clock. KSU would not make another field goal for the next 6:24 of the game, missing 10 straight shots from the floor. Jax State took advantage with a 14-2 run over that stretch for a 31-17 advantage, and the Gamecocks would finish the half with a 37-22 lead. KSU was held to 26.7% shooting (8-of-30), 12.5% (2-of-16) from three-point range.
THE SECOND HALF: The Gamecocks extended their lead to 21, 52-31 with ten minutes to play.
Jaden Harris and
Perry Smith Jr. then sparked a 7-0 run for the Owls, and KSU would score 15 of the game's next 20 points. Three-pointers from Johnson and
Kaden Rickard cut the lead to 11, 56-46 with 6:35 on the clock. Jax State scored five unanswered to take back the momentum before finishing with the 19-point win.
NOTES
- Johnson and Smith Jr. led the Owls with 12 points each, while Harris was the third Owl in double-figures with 10.
- The loss broke a five-game win streak for the Owls in the all-time series against Jax State.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls will be back home for a pair of games next week, starting with a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network against Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Feb. 12. The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. in VyStar Arena.
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.
