Kennesaw State won late in a thrilling overtime road game against ASUN rival Stetson with a final score of 82-81.
The game was essential to the Owls as the two teams were tied for first place in the conference.
During the final 15 minutes second half and overtime period, the game noted 12 ties and 12 lead changes.
In the first half, Brandon Stroud scored KSU’s first 12 points in less than five minutes into the game. The Hatters battled their way to close KSU’s gap to 17-11. Striving to maintain the lead, KSU went on a 20-5 run for the following five minutes of the game. Chris Youngblood made all three free throw attempts after being fouled on the three-point line. Youngblood’s shots notched the KSU’s largest lead of the evening, standing at 37-16. Spencer Rodgers extended the lead by hitting the buzzer-beater, moving the lead to 43-27 for KSU.
Coming in hot from halftime, Stetson successfully put up three attempts at three-pointers in the first three minutes into the half, prompting a 20-4 run. The Hatters managed to come back with their fourth three-pointer, putting them ahead of the Owls for the first time in the game at 52-51 with 11:44 left in the half.
As time wound down on the clock, KSU had hoped for a late victory in overtime following a three-point play from Demond Robinson with 1:32 left on the clock. Kasen Jennings came through for the Owls with a wide-open breakaway dunk, pushing KSU up 72-69 with 20 seconds left in the game. With 12 seconds on the clock, the game was tied at 72-72 after the Hatters put up a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Overtime began in the Hatters’ favor as the team knocked down two three-pointers only 30 seconds apart going up 78-72 on the Owls with only 2:54 left. Youngblood brought the team within three points of Stetson as the Owls fought to overturn the 79-76 lead.
The junior Youngblood made history as the 20th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points after he stole the inbounds pass, scoring a fast break dunk. The Owls closed in on the Hatters with a 79-78 score.
Inching closer, the Owls’ Alex Peterson brought the score to 81-80 with a basket. Following a timeout, KSU stepped up their defense by causing a five-second call on the inbounds to pass with just 14 seconds left on the clock. KSU took strong advantage of the turnover as Terrell Burden scored the game-winning shot for the Owls. KSU wrapped up the game, upsetting the Hatters with Burden blocking Stetson’s final shot attempt.
The Owls will return home to face the Austin Peay Governors for their White Out game on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the KSU Convocation Center.
