Men’s basketball got off on the right foot in their ASUN title defense campaign.
Men’s Basketball unveiled the 2022-23 ASUN championship banner Tuesday, Nov. 7 and defeated Oakwood University 93-46 to begin their 2023-24 season.
After much anticipation, the 2022-23 ASUN championship team was recognized when Kennesaw State Athletics Chief Operating Officer Tamica Smith Jones unrolled the banner that will go up in the rafters to commemorate the Owls’ historic season.
Before the game started, Owls Head CoachAntione Pettway was stuck in an elevator, leading to a 5-minute delay. When Pettway finally emerged, he was met with a crowd of 2733 people, a new season opener record for the Owls and the 5th-largest in Convocation Center history.
“This is a special place, our guys are on campus interacting with students and passing out flyers three or four times a week telling people to come to the game,” Head Coach Pettway said. “When the students come out to the game, the Convocation Center is rocking.”
Things started off hot and never cooled down. Led by sophomore Guard Simeon Cottle and senior ForwardsDemond Robinson andCole Larue, the Owls took a 57-20 lead into the locker room after the conclusion of the first half.
Robinson, who had only made one three-point attempt last season, shot four times from deep and converted on two.
“I was just feeling it tonight and hopefully you all will see that more,” Robinson said. “I just go out there and shoot and hopefully get a team win.”
The second half was more of the same for the Owls. The starters remained in the game until there were around seven minutes left to play. In his first career start, Simeon Cottle set a new career high with 16 points while shooting 40% from beyond the three-point line. Cottle is one of six returning scholarship players from last season and has embraced his newfound leadership role.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling, knowing that I got guys looking up to me like my point guard RJ Johnson,” Cottle said. “I can give him a little feedback on what I went through last year and let him go through the same thing.”
Freshman Frankquon Shermanand RJ Johnson made their Owls debuts and would both impress. Sherman finished with a double-double along with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Johnson had accumulated 12 points and eight assists.
“They are freshmen and they have to learn the game. They have to learn to compete every single possession,” Pettway said. “The adjustment from high school to college is a big one. Those guys work their tails off every single day so I try not to put too much on their shoulders. I just want them to compete and play hard right now.”
In the final minutes, walk-ons Charles Stone, Eric Holland and Matt Brown checked into the game, much to the delight of the student section. Holland hit a driving layup to record his first career field goal as an Owl. The final score would be 93-46.
The Owls will continue their season on Nov. 26 against Florida International University.
