FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky State men's basketball pulls through in a tight-knit second half to defeat the Spring Hill Badgers 80-70 Monday night inside the William Exum Center. 
 
Senior guard Montrell Jacobs led Kentucky State with 23 points making 4-of-7 shots from the three-point line. His teammate Jalon Andrews scored 13 points, and Kong Kong tallied 12. 
 
As a team, Kentucky State outrebounded Spring Hill 47-34 as four Thorobreds led their team with six rebounds each, Brooks, Andrews, Kong, and Khalif Crawley. 
 
The Kentucky State bench scored 23 points, led by nine from Crawley Jr. and six from Aziel Blackwell. 
 
How It Happened 
Out the gate, the Spring Hill Badgers scored first on a made free throw, followed by a made free throw by Tyson Brooks tied the game 1-1 early in the first half. 
 
A layup by the Badgers at 12:48 in the first gave them an 18-8 lead, their largest of the half. 
 
Jay Murrell scored on a Badger turnover to tie the game 34-34 with 2:46 left in the first half. 
 
Kentucky State would get up by three, 37-34, on a long-range jumper by Jacobs. The Badgers snatched the lead briefly, but Jacobs hit a made a long-range jumper to give the Thorobreds a 39-38 lead. 
 
In the opening minutes of the second half Kentucky State got their lead up to six (44-38) at 18:32 in the second half. 
 
The Badgers regained the lead at 16:25 on a fast break dunk. Their lead was ended for a moment by Blackwell on a long-range jumper that tied the game 47-47 with 15:53 remaining in the second half. 
 
After 13 lead changes in the second half, the Thorobreds found their footing as Jacobs made a three on a fast break to give Kentucky State a 72-70 lead with 2:23 left in the second half. 
 
Back-to-back made free throws by Kong secured a ten-point 80-70 win against the Spring Hill Badgers.
 
Up Next 
Kentucky State men's basketball will travel to rival Central State on Saturday, January 13 and will tipoff at 3 p.m.