DeLand, Fla. -- The Stetson University men's basketball team fell 77-49 to Kennesaw State Saturday afternoon at the Edmunds Center.
The Hatters (7-10, 1-3) fell behind early as the Owls (7-9, 2-0) got on the board first with a hook shot from Demond Robinson. Stetson quickly turned the tide and after two made free throws from Christiaan Jones, the Hatters tied the game at 11 apiece with 15:38 left in the first half. After a 5-0 Stetson run, the Hatters held a 16-11 lead and forced a KSU timeout. Out of the timeout, the Owls went on their own 7-0 run and took an 18-16 lead. With 5:25 left in the half, Stetson regained a 26-25 lead after both a 3-pointer and dunk from Jones, but it was short-lived as the Owls retaliated with another 7-0 run and eventually took a 38-35 lead before the break.
After intermission, the Hatters pulled within one as a floater from Johnston made it a 38-37 game. Johnston later hit a 3-point field goal to make it a 46-40 Hatters deficit, but after Johnston's triple, the Owls controlled the remainder of the contest. KSU went on a 16-0 run and the Owls held a 62-40 lead with 9:22 remaining in regulation. Stetson's Keith Lamar ended the Hatters scoreless run with a 3-pointer from the corner, but it did little to jolt the Stetson offense as the Hatters fell 77-49.
Johnston's 16 points led all scorers on the night as the sophomore extended his double figure scoring streak to nine games in a row. Jones recorded his second double-double of the year as the graduate student had 12 points and 11 boards.
Stetson's 14 second half points were the least number of points the Hatters scored in a half since only scoring 19 in a half against UCF back in 2016.
The Stetson men's basketball team will be back in action on Tuesday. Jan. 18 as the Hatters remain at home to host Florida Gulf Coast in another ASUN Conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.
