By Chris Raimondi
KSU’s men’s basketball team went down to the wire against in-state rival Mercer, but couldn’t secure a victory in front of a near-capacity crowd in the Convocation Center on Saturday night, falling 75-68.
The Owls’ guards displayed their offensive firepower against the Bears by scoring 39 of KSU’s points. Orlando Coleman, Delbert Love and Yonel Brown all finished in double digits, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the senior-laden Mercer squad.
“I’m proud of our guys,” KSU interim head coach Jimmy Lallathin said. “We’re not satisfied by the loss, but every game we have been getting closer and closer. Tonight we didn’t fold.”
KSU got things started off early with a Bernard Morena layup just 26 seconds into the contest that gave the Owls the initial lead. The season-high crowd of 3,624 was silent until a Myles Hamilton layup marked the Owls’ fourth point which sent the fans into a frenzy of applause on the season’s ‘silent night.’ Hamilton finished with seven points, two rebounds and a steal. Coleman kept the energy going with an alley-oop assisted by Love to give KSU the 6-5 lead at the 17 minute mark.
Mercer then responded with a 12-3 run until a Hamilton 3-pointer brought the game back within five at 12-17. The teams then traded baskets inside of 10 minutes to go in the half, but Mercer never gained a lead larger than eight. With less than five before half time, KSU converted back-to-back old fashioned 3-pointers by both Brown and Tanner Wozniak that shortened the Bears’ lead to just one. A series of made free-throws for both teams would see the half end knotted up at 29.
Coleman came out of the locker room firing by hitting back-to-back jumpers from the elbow which gave the Owls the 33-31 lead. Mercer then began to establish their dominance inside, as they netted 24 points in the paint in the second half. Bud Thomas went for 14 in the second half, as did Langston Hall, who ended as the game’s leading scorer with 20. However, the Owls wouldn’t go away without a fight.
Another Coleman alley-oop brought the game within one at the 13 minute mark with Mercer leading 44-45. A quick series of buckets from both teams ensued as 10 points were scored within 40 seconds highlighted by a Brown tear-drop in the paint, an old-fashioned 3-pointer from Nigel Pruitt and a Mercer dunk and 3-pointer. Nate Rucker would heat up by sinking two jump hooks on back-to-back possessions, but the Owls couldn’t get consecutive defensive stops. Rucker would finish with eight points, three rebounds and no fouls.
With less than 10 to go, Mercer would gain a lead as big as seven at the 7:03 mark. Four Love free-throws inside of five minutes remaining would tie the game at 62. With 3:25 left in the game, Hamilton made a pair of free-throws which gave KSU a two point advantage. Mercer would earn an and-one opportunity and successfully convert it with three minutes to go which would give them a one point edge.
After a Mercer layup extended their lead to three, the Owls would fail to make a field goal in the final minutes of the game and were forced to commit a series of fouls. The Bears would sink every attempt down the stretch and were able to escape the Convocation Center with a win by a score of 75-68.
The Owls shot 44 percent from the field while holding Mercer to 40 percent. The close contest featured six ties and nine lead changes.
“I’m proud of our guys’ effort,” Lallathin said. “I think we saw a glimpse of what this team can be. I thought we gave everything we had.”
The near-upset could have been instrumental in determining March schedules for both teams as KSU, last in the conference, fell to 1-11 in the A-Sun and 4-21 overall. Mercer stayed atop the A-Sun conference with the win which improved them to 10-2 in the conference and 19-6 overall.
The Owls will continue their home stand against Northern Kentucky on Thursday Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. and also Saturday Feb. 15 at noon against Lipscomb.
