KENNESAW, GA. - Kennesaw State used a 15-5 run midway through the
second half and claimed a 78-64 Atlantic Sun Conference win over
Campbell Monday night at the KSU Convocation Center.
After the lead changed 11 times and the score was tied on four
occasions in the final period, the Owls extended a 58-55 lead with
an 8-1 burst capped by a pair of Matt Heramb free throws with 3:09
left in the contest.
Kennesaw State (6-17, 4-9) ended a 5-game losing streak and
defeated the Camels for the first time after six-straight losses by
hitting its first 18 foul shots of the final period.
Markeith Cummings led the Owls with 31 points, including 9-of-19
from the field and 12-of-14 from the line, while Kelvin McConnell
added 13, Matt Heramb 11 and LaDaris Green 10, plus 13
rebounds.
Junard Hartley tied his career high with 16 points; Eric Griffin
added 15 and Preston Dodson 10 for the Camels (11-13, 5-9), who
lost their third-straight contest, all on the road.
Campbell shot 41 percent from the field on the night, but made only
5-of11 from the line in the final period. Campbell played without
2nd-leading scorer, Lorne Merthie, who missed the contest with a
knee ailment.
Kennesaw State shot 46 percent from the floor for the game, 50
percent in the second half, and made 27-of-36 (.750) from the free
throw line. KSU made 20-of-23 (.870) from the stripe in the final
period and finished the game with a 36-33 edge on the glass.
The Camels led by as many as 9 in the opening frame when Rico
Ferguson hit a pair of free throws for a 17-8 advantage with 13:06
to play. However, Cummings scored 7-straight points over the final
1:30 of the opening half and the score was knotted at 34 at
half-time.
Cummings had 14 points and LaDaris Green 8, plus 7 rebounds (6 on
the offensive end), for the Owls, who shot 42.9 percent (12-28)
from the field before intermission.
Griffin scored 11 points in 10 minutes in the first half, while
Junard Hartley added 7. Campbell hit 40.6 percent (13-32) of its
first-half shots in the opening half.
Campbell finished with 3 blocks to run its season total to 118 and
break the school single-season mark for rejections of 117 set in
1997-98.
KSU defeated the Camels for the first time since a 74-64 decision
on Feb. 2, 2007.
Campbell returns to action on Thursday at home against Lipscomb in
a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.
