Box Score
Ken-Jah Bosley scored 25 points to lift Kentucky Wesleyan to a fast-paced 101-96 Great Midwest Athletic Conference victory over Salem International on Thursday night in Salem, W. Va.
"I'm telling you, the rodeo and the circus have nothing on us," a greatly relieved KWC coach Happy Osborne said afterward. "We played their game, and they are scary good at the offensive end.
"It was a tough environment to play in — a wild, fun, crazy game. We could not slow them down.
"But it's almost February, so I don't know that there's a bad win now. We'll take it.
"I thought Devin Langford was very tough for us on the glass late. It seemed like he was getting every rebound at the end."
It was a game of streaks throughout.
Wesleyan (13-7, 7-1 G-MAC) led by 16 points on two occasions in the first half, but the Fighting Tigers fought back to tie the score at 36 by intermission.
In the second half, the Panthers — who have won 12 of their last 14 games — went ahead 83-66 at the 9:38 mark on a putback by Rico Ferguson, but, again, Salem International charged back.
The Fighting Tigers pulled within 94-92 before Lucas Barker hit a free throw and Bosley made a basket and free throw to pull the Panthers out of danger.
KWC overcame 41 points and six rebounds by the Fighting Tigers' 6-5 senior forward Walter Brock.
"Brock was just unbelievable," Osborne said. "That was a tremendous offensive performance."
Wesleyan shot 42 percent from the field, but forced Salem International into 22 turnovers, and won the rebounding battle, 34-33.
In addition to Bosley's production, the Panthers got 18 points from Lonnie Hayes, 17 points and 11 rebounds from Langford, and 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench from Donovan Johnson.
Salem International shot 55 percent from the field, including 60 percent accuracy in the second half.
"We were composed enough to get it done when we had to," Osborne noted. "You take it, learn from it, and move on."
KWC finished 40-of-50 from the foul stripe, while the Fighting Tigers hit 20-of-23.
Salem International slipped to 9-9 overall and remained winless in the G-MAC (0-7). The Fighting Tigers dropped a 99-71 decision to KWC on Dec. 7 at the Sportscenter.
The Panthers play at league foe Ohio Valley. at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
