Link for stats and videos http://ksuowls.com/news/2010/8/6/MBB_0806100321.aspx

WELLMAN, Ontario- The Kennesaw State Owls began their five-game tour of Canada on a high-note, defeating the Niagara All-Stars, 78-71, on Friday night on the campus of Niagara College in Wellman, Ontario. Markeith Cummings had 28 points to lead all scorers.

The Owls led for most of the game, trailing on just three occasions, and led by as many as nine at one point.

Friday night’s contest came down to the wire, however, with the Niagara All-Stars, led by Ryan Saravelle’s 15 points, staying within striking distance and even taking the lead, 66-64, with less than five minutes to go and tying the game on several other occasions in the second half.

Trailing 66-64, Cummings made perhaps his most important play of the game, backing down his defender in the paint and spinning around to make a one-handed floater to tie the game. It would be the last time the Owls would trail in the contest, as Cummings would score on the next two possessions for the Black and Gold to put them ahead for good with 2:25 to play.

The Owls did not just rely on their star sophomore to come away with the victory. Junior point guard Spencer Dixon chipped in 18 points of his own and senior Kelvin McConnell showed his long-range prowess, knocking down a trio of three-pointers on the evening. Collectively, they were 17-for-18 from the free throw line, as well.

For Andrew Osemhen, Mirza Sabic, Aaron Anderson and Romain Henry, Friday night also marked the beginning of their Owl careers. Osemhen is a freshman out of Gray High School in Loganville, Ga., while Sabic and Anderson are sophomore transfers who were teammates at Central Arizona College. Henry joined the program last year as a transfer from Kennesaw State after playing at Fort Valley State for two seasons.

“I thought tonight was a great experience for us, our opponents gave us all we could handle,” Ingle said at the end of the evening. “It was good to get our newcomers out there and see what we have as a group. There are still some things we need to work on, but overall I’m proud of our guys.”

The game was significant for the Niagara All-Stars, as well. The team, which featured players who formerly competed collegiately in both Canada and at the NCAA Division I level, hosted tonight’s game at the Mackenzie Athletic Complex, and they expect it to be the last significant athletic event that take place in the facility. Having housed the Niagara College men’s and women’s basketball teams for years, the campus has a brand-new athletic complex that will become the home for those teams beginning this season.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Owls. They face Guelph Phoenix at Villanova College in King City, Ontario on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. A live blog will be available at ksuowls.com throughout the game.