KSU Sneaks in A-Sun Tournament

Four Kennesaw State Owls scored in double figures on Thursday night. However, a late, 13-5, run by the Lipscomb Bisons sealed the outcome. The Owls fell, 82-67, at the KSU Convocation Center. Despite the loss, the Owls clinched a spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament due to Stetson’s loss against North Florida.The Owls (8-21, 6-13 A-Sun) fell victim to 14 offensive rebounds by Lipscomb (17-11, 12-7 A-Sun), who turned their extra opportunities into 14 second chance points. The Bisons also capitalized on the Owls turnovers, with 16 points, despite the Black and Gold having just 12 turnovers.

The Black and Gold would briefly take the lead on two occasions late in the first half, the second time when Kelvin McConnell made the second of his four three-point baskets on the evening, on a night when he set the record for most career games played by an Owls with 121. The basket, from the right corner, made it, 34-33, with 2:46 left before intermission.

Down by nine points with 2:23, Spencer Dixon, who led the Owls with 17 points on the evening, made a three from the left wing to make it a six-point game once again. That was the squad’s last gasp, however, as the Bisons would score the next six points to put the game away.

Joining Dixon in double figures for the Owls was Cummings with 15 points and McConnell and Marine, with 12 apiece. Marine tied a career high.

Lipscomb’s Adnan Hodzic had the game’s lone double-double on the evening, scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. The Owls LaDaris Green narrowly had his streak of seven consecutive double-doubles snapped on Thursday night, posting 8 points and 9 rebounds. Josh Slater added 17 points for the Bisons.

Despite the Owls dropping their fourth straight game on Thursday evening, Stetson’s, 80-77, loss to North Florida on Thursday night sealed a second straight trip for the Owls to the General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, which begins on Wednesday, Mar. 2.

The top-eight eligible teams in the A-Sun at the end of the season play for an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Owls currently sit in a tie for seventh place with Campbell, with their final seeding to be determined after the Owls home game against Belmont on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday evening is Senior Night at the KSU Convocation Center, with departing seniors Kelvin McConnell and Matt Heramb being honored prior to the game for their time with the Owls program.