The Owls came back on track after only notching one victory in their last five games in their first-ever meeting against Central Arkansas on Feb. 9.
“We’re definitely going to ride this wave, this momentum for the rest of the season going into the tournament,” Sophomore Chris Youngblood said. “When we’re playing free and confident, all 13 of us, we’re a dangerous team. Plus, it’s fun winning.”
Terrell Burden sparked KSU’s offense, scoring 19 points in the first half, ending with a game-high of 25. Youngblood also had it clicking, scoring 17 points. Demond Robinson and Isaiah Reddish both shot 4-4 from the field and grabbed a combined 10 rebounds.
Overall, the Owls shot an efficient 62.5% from the field, despite shooting a below season average 31% from three. They made up for this poor perimeter shooting, with 40 of their 83 points coming from the paint.
The game opened with both teams alternating baskets until the Owls, with the help of Burden, went on a 7-0 run to end the quarter and give them a 10-point lead going into the half. Burden capitalized on his big first half with big plays, including an alley-oop to Alex Peterson and ending the half with a three-point buzzer-beater from just inside half-court.
The first half showcased the Owls’ ability to handle slow starts as they were down 14-8 in the first four minutes of gameplay. They went on a 6-2 run to cut down this deficit after being down so early in the contest.
“They’ve jumped out to a lead in almost every game they’ve played this year and they stick around in the first half,” said Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. “I was really proud of us being able to put our foot in the ground and creating that lead at the half going forward.”
The Owls only committed six turnovers in the first half, but when they entered the second half, they coughed the ball up four more times in just the first six minutes of the half. The Bears, with the help of the Owl’s turnovers, would cut the lead down to as little as eight points, but the Owl’s defense withstood the comeback attempt and they would secure the sought-out victory.
The Owls move to 6-5 in ASUN conference play, tying them for third place with Florida Gulf Coast University. The team has an overall record of 11-13 and 8-6 at home on the season.
The Owls will next travel to Fort Meyers, Florida for a rematch against FGCU.
