Box Score | Highlights

Frankfort, Ky.—Missed free throws and clutch buckets kept Kentucky State University men's basketball from knocking off the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference projected preseason west division No. 1 Lane College, in a 72-71 heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon at the Exum Center.
 
"We shot poorly from the field but that happens sometimes, it's basketball," said head coach Jamaal Jackson. "But shooting 46 percent from the free throw line and giving up 19 offensive rebounds is unacceptable, that will lose you games every night."
 
The Thorobreds (2-7, 2-2) are now 2-2 during their current six-game homestead and will welcome in two non-conference opponents later in the coming week as they look to end the stretch on a positive note. The Dragons (3-3, 2-2) have now evened up their conference record, winning two of their last three games with the only blemish coming against Central State University on Thursday.
 
Over the last two contest between Thorobreds and the Dragons, each game has been decided in the closing moments. During the 2016-17 season, KSU came up short in double overtime, this season it was the Dragons coming back in the final few minutes after missed opportunities by the hosting green and gold.
 
Junior guard Chas Harvey hit a layup with 1:58 on the clock to put KSU up by four at 69-65, but a three-point bucket brought the Dragons back within one just a few second later. Senior guard Reggie Breeden followed up with a 15-foot jumper, putting KSU back up by three, and later back down to one with two free throws by LC.
 
Up by one with the ball, senior guard Dorian Jordan went to the free-throw line, to put the Thorobreds up by potentially three points. He missed both free throws, leaving an opportunity for the Dragons. Kendarius Ash pulled down his team-leading 11th rebound and drove the length of the floor for a contested layup giving him 22 points on the day and putting the Dragons up 72-71 with two seconds to play.
 
Junior forward Kevin Hayes pulled in long a pass after a timeout, covering the length of the floor for a last second three-point basket, falling short on the front iron.
 
Hayes turned in a game-high 25 points, hitting 11-of -15 from the floor with five rebounds. Jordan added his second consecutive double-double with 19 points and a game-high 10 assists. Harvey turned in another strong performance off the bench as he picked up 13 points on 19 minutes of play.
 
KSU will host Salem International University on Wednesday evening in a return matchup from earlier in the season, where the Thorobreds fell on the road 92-77 in the season opener. Tip-off at the Exum Center is slated for 7:30 pm ET.