With wins this season over Georgia Southern and now Georgia State, the Kennesaw State men have staked their claim to being the state’s best Mid Major.
This win over Georgia State renews a rivalry between these two teams located on the I75 corridor of Metro Atlanta.
Kennesaw State men’s basketball took control midway through the first half thanks to a 17-0 run, and led by at least double-digits for all but 28 seconds the rest of the afternoon as the Owls took down Georgia State 88-77 in the first meeting between the metro Atlanta schools in 34 years. With their first-ever win over the Panthers, the Owls moved to 5-3 on the season in front of a school-record tying sold out crowd of 3,805 in the Convocation Center.
Sophomore guard Simeon Cottle, a College Park native, continued his hot start to the season with a career-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting. He also added four assists and two steals in the victory.
The Owls shot a season-high 51.7% from the floor, connecting on 31-of-60). That included a below average performance from behind the arc (6-of-22 for 27.3%). Georgia State meanwhile was limited to just 40.3% (27-of-67) for the game, the lowest by an Owl Division I opponent this season.
A quick start for the KSU offense, as the Owls scored on their first three possessions to open up a 6-0 edge just 90 seconds into the game. Georgia State did keep it close in the opening five minutes, closing within two twice, the last at 10-8 with 14:57 on the clock. Terrell Burden answered on the other end with a three-pointer, the start of 17 straight points for KSU over the next six and a half minutes. Six different Owls scored during the run, which was capped by a Frankquon Sherman layup for a 27-8 edge with 8:02 to play in the half. GSU did make a slight run to cut the edge down to 11 entering halftime. KSU finished the opening 20 minutes shooting 54.8% (17-31), while the Panthers were limited to 36.7% (11-30).
Georgia State opened with a pull-up jumper to cut the lead to nine 24 seconds into the second half. The Owls quickly responded, scoring five straight off a Quincy Ademokoya trey and a Cottle layup to go back up 14, and the Panthers did not come within single digits again until the final minute. KSU would lead by as much as 21 in the game, the last coming at 7:34 on a Demond Robinson jumper for a 72-51 advantage.
The Kennesaw State women were in action following the men on Saturday.
A season-best in points scored and record-setting fewest points allowed saw Kennesaw State (3-4) soar past Coastal Georgia (5-6), 82-25, Saturday inside the KSU Convocation Center.
25 points from the Mariners set a new single-game record for the fewest points allowed in a single game in the 42-season history of KSU women’s basketball.
Junior Prencis Harden led the charge for Kennesaw State with 25 points in 22 minutes of play, shooting 10-for-16 with five rebounds, two assists and three steals.
Both teams back in action this week.
