Game notes
The Kentucky Wesleyan College men's basketball team opens G-MAC play today on the road against Ohio Valley, and the Panthers could be without two of their top players.
Leading scorer Ken-Jah Bosley spent the weekend in the hospital with dehydration, and starting point guard Marcus Fillyaw is recovering from a head injury. KWC coach Happy Osborne said both are questionable for the game in Vienna, West Virginia.
The Panthers (4-3) are coming off a 70-65 loss to Truman State in the KWC Holiday Tournament title game, which was their third loss by five or fewer points. Osborne believes his team's defense will need to be the difference down the stretch against Ohio Valley (0-3).
"When we have played defense this year, we have won, and when we haven't, we have lost," Osborne said. "Our offense isn't where I want it to be, but we shot it good enough to win. It's our defense that needs to pick it up."
Bosley has led the Panthers in scoring in each of the past five games, including Saturday against Truman State when he scored a season-high 24 points in an effort that ultimately sent him to the hospital dehydrated.
"He wore himself out," Osborne said about Bosley, a 6-foot-1 guard who spent Saturday through Monday in the hospital. "He was tremendous in the tournament. He's a leader and leads by example and has a lot of heart. If we can get that heart going with the entire team, then we have a chance to be really good. He has set an example with his effort. He played until he had nothing left."
Bosley averages 18.1 points per game and is third in the conference in scoring, while Ohio Valley's Darryl Walker leads the G-MAC with 20 points per contest. Other Fighting Scots who average in double figures are Markese Allen (12.3 ppg), Robert Smelser (10 ppg) and Jerry Macon Jr. (10 ppg).
Defense has been a stumbling block for Ohio Valley, which allows 90 points per game. The Fighting Scots are coming off a 78-75 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne, which snapped a streak of 15 straight games dating back to last season in which they had allowed an opponent to score 80 or more points. Last season, KWC defeated Ohio Valley twice, 105-59 and 99-76.
Osborne, however, isn't looking past an Ohio Valley team that has a new-look roster that can light up the scoreboard.
"This isn't last year. This will be a challenge," Osborne said. "Their gym seats about 300, and it's a tough place to play. It's their first home game, so you know they will be ready. I expect a really tough game."
