Kennesaw State enters the final game of the regular season Thursday with a home tournament game on the line.
The Owls have a 7-6 conference record (13-16 overall) and sit in three-way tie with South Carolina-Upstate and North Florida for third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference. All eight league teams make the conference tournament, but the top four seeds will host a game. With one game left, the Owls could finish as the third, fourth or the fifth seed.
To secure the third seed, the Owls must win their final game against Lipscomb on Thursday at home, and North Florida and South Carolina-Upstate have to lose their games Thursday. To hold the fourth seed, the Owls must win, and either North Florida or South Carolina-Upstate has to lose. If all three teams win or if all three lose, the Owls will get the fifth seed.
The Owls played Lipscomb in their first conference game of the season and lost 82-79 after giving up the lead. However, according to coach Al Skinner, that was a different team then.
“I think it’s going to be a different situation considering that was so early in the year,” Skinner said. “That was our first league game, and I’d like to think that we are playing a little better now. We got a better idea of what we need to do in order to be successful. As far as closing games, we’ve got a better understanding of what we need to do to close basketball games.”
Skinner said he thinks his team will be fine Thursday night despite the pressure to win to avoid opening the tournament on the road.
“We just gotta focus on what we have to do,” Skinner said. “Can’t be focused on what other teams have to do. It’s obviously advantageous for us to be playing at home. We can only control what we can control.”
When asked Skinner for the three keys to finishing the season on a high note, Skinner answered with two simple keys instead.
“The most important thing is how well we defend and rebound the basketball,” Skinner said. “If we do those two things well, then we put ourselves in a position to win. And that’s our biggest challenge. But I think our play has continued to improve and our defense has gotten better throughout the year.”
Skinner thinks his team is mentally prepared for what’s at stake Thursday.
“I think it’s important to them,” Skinner said about his team’s mentality heading into the final game. “The thing is we all know it’s important to get that first game at home, and once you get that, then anything can happen. That’s what makes March madness what it is, because anything can happen.”
“We gotta stay focused and make sure that we understand what it is going to take for us to win. Our style of play, our energy, our attitude, our determination will give us the results that we are looking for.”
Skinner has higher expectations than last year’s early exit in the conference tournament against Florida Gulf Coast. However, Skinner seems unfazed and not worried about his team heading into the tournament.
“There’s nothing that concerns me. The most important thing is that we stay healthy,” Skinner said. “We stay healthy, then we give ourselves a chance. I think we have established a style of play, and I think we know what it takes for us to be successful. At times, we demonstrated it like our last game.”
“We’re at the time of the year where it’s win or go home, and everyone knows that. It’s a good time to have your enthusiasm up and go out there and leave it all out on the floor.”
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