The Kentucky State University men's basketball team travels to Mobile, AL 8:30 p.m. EST to face Spring Hill College in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action.
LIVE STATS |
VIDEO
THE TEAMS: With five games remaining, Kentucky State University (8-13 overall, 6-7 SIAC) stands in fifth place in the Western Division. However, the Thorobreds are only two games out of second place.
Spring Hill (7-15 overall, 3-10 SIAC) has lost 11 of its last 13 games, but the Badgers are coming off a 97-78 win over Central State. However, the Badgers have fared betters in the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center, where they are 5-6 on the season.
THE COACHES:
Jamaal Jackson is in his third season at the helm of his alma mater. Kentucky State has been one of the top scoring teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference under Jackson. He came to KSU following a stint at Bluefield State College, where he led them to increased win totals in every season. The same can be said about his tenure at Stillman, where the Tigers improved upon their win totals.
Craig Kennedy, a 38-year coaching and teaching veteran, is in his first season leading the Spring Hill Badgers. He has coaching stints at Troy University, Georgia Southern University, Auburn University and the University of Winnipeg.
THE LAST MEETING: A 14-2 run late in the second half turned a nail biter into a rout as the Kentucky State University men's basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak, and won for the first time since the calendar flipped to 2019, beating Spring Hill 90-72 on January 22 at the William Exum Center.
Battle, who finished with a season-high 29 points, was one of four players to reach double figures in the Thorobreds' victory. Senior
Austin Sherrell registered his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 boards.
Senior
Kevin Hayes added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists, while junior
Grant Goode tallied a career-high 14 points.
THE PLAYERS: Kentucky State boasts two of the top four scorers in the SIAC as senior
Ditalion Battle is tied for the conference lead with 18.0 points per game. After a slow start, Battle is averaging nearly 22 points in the last 14 games. He has tallied at least 20 points in 10 of the last 13 games. The Cincinnati native leads the 'Breds with 68 assists and is third on the team with 4.7 rebounds. Additionally, he is fifth in the SIAC in assist to turnover margin.
Senior
Kevin Hayes, who spent most of the season at the top is currently fourth with 17.6 points. Hayes has scored double figures in all but one game, and reached the 20-point plateau nine times this season.
Three players – Justin Allison, Brandon Fischer and Gresyn Rogers – are averaging double-figures for the Badgers. Allison, the team's top three-point threat, is leading the way with 15.1 points, while Fischer is dropping in 13.5 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds.
Rogers is the third of the double-digit trio with 10.2 points per contest.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Kentucky State University athletics is represented on Facebook (KSUThorobreds), Twitter (@KYSUAthletics) and Instagram (@KYSUAthletics). For your game day coverage, follow on Twitter (@KYSUGameday) and on Instagram (KYSU_Gameday). Follow all the happenings of Kentucky State University on social media by using the hashtags "#BredToWin" & "KSUForward."
WHAT'S NEXT: Kentucky State University kicks off the first of back-to-back meeting with rival-Central State 3 p.m. Saturday in Wilberforce. The teams will meet in Frankfort 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 11.
