Sorry guys I'm anxious to get this one going. This is going to be such a huge game, I just hope we can get a good crowd. Someone check me on this...I was listening to the Mercer broadcast on ASUN.tv the other night and their announcer said that they plan on bringing their cheerleaders and stuff too just like we did. Anybody hear that? I know this has been discussed a little bit, but is this our rival? Is tomorrow's game a rivalry game? Mark Toma seems to think so...

KENNESAW, Ga. – What makes a rivalry? Is it geographic distance? Two winning programs, a long history of competition, or is it is just close, competitive games between nearby teams with a little bad blood thrown into the mix?

Last Wednesday evening in Macon, Ga., the Kennesaw State basketball team met the Mercer Bears in a crucial Atlantic Sun Conference game and a rivalry was born. The Owls came away with a, 71-69, win when Mercer’s last second, potential game-winning three-pointer careened off the back rim.

The raucous, enthusiastic Mercer crowd was stunned into silence while the tiny Kennesaw State contingent, cheerleaders and the dance team, all cheering uproariously after witnessing an intense, exhausting battle that saw15 ties, 13 lead changes, technical fouls and a continued winning streak for the Black and Gold.

The game was head coach Tony Ingle’s record-setting 166th victory with the Owls. It had Markeith Cummings, the nation’s leading freshman scorer, dropping in 25 points. There was Daniel Emerson of Mercer, the A-Sun’s leading rebounder, getting a double-double. There was Mercer rallying back from a seven-point deficit in the final minutes to take the lead with a minute left, only to see Spencer Dixon win it for the Owls.

Was this just another close game (the sixth game in the series decided by seven points or less) in the budding, nine-game old series which Mercer leads 5-4? It was all the aforementioned … and more. It is Kennesaw State versus Mercer.

While the Atlantic Sun Conference boasts rivalries like Lipscomb/Belmont and North Florida/Jacksonville, the Kennesaw State/Mercer rivalry has staked its claim as a legitimate one in itself. It is North versus South, Public versus Private, Established versus Upstart, City versus Country. Call it what you want, but Kennesaw State and Mercer is rising in intensity.

The rivalry is healthy and it’s respectful, but make no bones about it is serious and it is growing. The University Center in Macon was filled with over 2,300 screaming fans as they watched the visiting Owls stop the hometown Bears in one of the loudest environments KSU has faced.

“It was a crowd that you are supposed to have at home,” said Kennesaw State head coach Tony Ingle. “They [the crowd] were loud and into the game, they had a good band and they made it a hard place for us to play. It raised our players intensity and atmosphere got heated, but they were also respectful and showed a lot of class and that’s a credit to their character and Mercer University.”

Just over 100 miles separate the two schools, but it is a straight shot down Interstate 75 with both the Bears and the Owls having unofficially called meetings the Battle of I-75. Over the years there have been memorable games between the teams, but now with the Owls in their first full-fledged Division I season, the stakes have been raised even higher as the teams can play each other in the postseason.
Each team has seen its fair share of success in the series and there has been no shortage of memorable moments and games. Who could forget possibly the best game in the series in 2008 at the Convocation Center.

Trailing by three points and time running down, KSU’s Ronell Wooten’s, in the face of a suffocating Mercer double-team, hit a game-tying, half-court, three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. Tanner Jacobs grabbed a KSUCC record 18 rebounds, Shuan Stegall snatched 17 boards and Mercer’s James Florence scored a game-high 28 points. But, it was Calvin Henry, who scored just 4 points, who won game with a game-winning basket at the buzzer.

In 2008 in Macon, Stegall had his most memorable game for KSU when he scored 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in his final collegiate game in the CSS A-Sun Game of the Week as the Owls stunned Mercer, 64-61. There was Brent Ragsdale’s 23-point night in the first-ever meeting, a 63-57 win at Macon and Florence’s 28-point game at KSU last season.

Now, another chapter in the rivalry is ready to be written and it is penned with a new intensity. Thursday’s game is the first chance the Owl Nation has to welcome the Bears to campus since the rivalry has intensified. With a push for a sold-out student section all fans attending the game can exchange a t-shirt from another school for a “Beat Mercer” Tee Shirt.

Anyways, let's talk it up as much as possible. Here's to another close game against Mercer. We can't seem to get away from them.

i'm pumped for the game. Hopefully i can make it.

That's a great article. Ingle had a nice quote. The t-shirt promotion is an awesome idea! I can see some other schools borrowing that idea sometime.

We should all try to invite a few of our friends who have never attended a game. This will be a good one and we will need a good home court crowd to pull it off.

I agree KR. This should be a game they promote. We could really get a great rivalry going against Mercer.

their doing more promoting then usual on campus. i'm seeing flyers, articles in papers, etc. Should be a packed student section...

Hopefully a decent amount of Mercer supporters make the trip.

I can't get enough. I can't remember the last time I was this pumped for a game. I really do hope Mercer brings their cheerleaders and a lot of fans. It will just add to the excitement. Who all is going to be there? I am dropping everything. I wouldn't miss this game for the world. Hopefully the Owls can pull out another close one against the Bears. You know it will be. I posted stuff on my facebook, if any of you are into that or have another method of getting the word out, please try to do it. I just hope we can get a good crowd. Random question....we're on a 2 game run in the alternate gold unis, do we wear them again tonight?

Gold unis for sure, bro. Bringing the old guys along with some new fans.

Another close game with Mercer is good for both teams, IMO. If Mercer and KSU can continue to play games like this and develop into a true rivalry, it helps others notice that there's some good basketball being played in the state outside of Georgia Tech. I think that helps recruiting, and hopefully media coverage (although I don't know if the Atlanta Urinal-Constipation will ever bother to cover KSU athletics in any meaningful way).

So good luck to Mercer -- hope to see a good game tonight, although I hope KSU ends up pulling out #6 in a row.

(02-04-2010 10:22 AM)kr983 Wrote:  Gold unis for sure, bro. Bringing the old guys along with some new fans.

Great to hear. I have a feeling it is going to be a great crowd. There has been a lot of buzz about it.

(02-04-2010 12:18 PM)ksuowlsfan Wrote:  the Atlanta Urinal-Constipation

haha classic. although its just about right. the only thing i have seen in there lately is when that kid died this past weekend and the football committee.

They don't cover GSU so I don't see why they would cover KSU. We're just going to have to get more prominent to warrent coverage. GSU's already started with adding football. I hope that program makes it.

The good thing is that we do have the MDJ, who probably reaches about a million people by itself. We really don't need the AJC (although it sure doesn't hurt), but we need the MDJ and KSU to develop a great relationship. Big time coverage in the MDJ will make a bigger difference in the next 10-15 years. If Kennesaw can consolidate Cobb County around the idea of Kennesaw State athletics, then we will really start making waves nationally. Cobb County is one of the more well known, educated, affluent, industrious counties in the country.

The key to tonights game is keeping Florence under control. If he goes off for 25-30 it will be hard to win.

Tonight will be a good gauge of just how good Spencer's defense is. Personally, I think he'll be on Florence all night.

I think it's time for you owls to get to your seats...

And I think it is time for a 6 game winning streak! Great win by the owls. Mercer played a good ball game, and we didn't play our best, but we pulled out the tough victory. Huge free throws by JMac, Heramb, and Spencer at the end and a BIG TIME game by Spencer in general. I like to think that we as a message board spurred Dixon on with our praise of him early in the week. He outplayed Florence for the second time this year. Florence is still an all conference player, and Dixon isnt at his level, but I like what Dixon brings to the team.

Great game, great atmosphere. Glad I came back for that one.

Packed house for the first time. (no bleachers yet)

Congrats on the win like I said on the Mercer board. Kennesaw just wanted it more. KB, I really think Kennesaw did play their best in many aspects. I would bet if that's not a record it's damn close for offensive rebounds. WAY too many to count. It was sickening and it was the difference 100X over. I've also never seen so many close range floaters dropping, and dropping through as swishes. They just had more desire as a TEAM. Many Mercer players were at the best of the their ability. I don't want to just repeat what i said on the Mercer board... so just good win, it was all team desire.