Game Notes
The red-hot Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers hope to keep the home fires burning brightly on Saturday afternoon.
KWC puts a seven-game winning streak on the line when the Panthers entertain the Marauders from Wilberforce, Ohio, in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference game set to tip off at 3:15 p.m. in the Sportscenter.
"We'll have our hands full with this outfit," said Wesleyan coach Happy Osborne, whose resilient club has won 16 of 18 games following a 1-5 start. "They have an outstanding team, and, looking back on it, we had to play really, really well to win at their place (82-76 on Jan. 4).
"Again, we're going to have to play better defense and rebound the basketball if we expect to beat this team. They're a very talented group."
Central State (15-8, 6-3 G-MAC) is coming off a tough 82-79 overtime loss to Trevecca Nazarene on Thursday night in Nashville, Tenn. In that game, the Marauders were paced by Tre Edwards, a 6-foot sophomore guard who scored 15 points.
Expected to join Edwards (11 ppg) in the starting lineup will be 6-7 senior forward LeDonte Body (16.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-7 junior center Anthony Rule (12.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), 5-8 junior guard Masceo Harmon (11.2 ppg, 4.5 apg) and 6-5 junior forward Rasheem Lemons (9.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
"They're big, strong and tough on the inside — the best rebounding team in our league," Osborne said of the Marauders. "And, they're guards are underrated. Those kids know how to play the game."
Kentucky Wesleyan (17-7, 10-1) is coming off a hard-earned 92-87 victory over visiting Cedarwood — getting 35 points from 6-1 senior guard Lonnie Hayes (17.5 ppg) and 22 points and six rebounds from 6-8 senior center Dominique Dawson (10.5 ppg).
Also expected to start for the Panthers will be 6-1 freshman guard Ken-Jah Bosley (17.5 ppg), 6-5 senior forward Donovan Johnson (10.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and 6-0 sophomore point guard Lucas Barker (6 ppg, 4.3 apg).
Devin Langford averages 12.5 points per outing off the bench.
Osborne is looking for a big crowd on Saturday.
"This whole season is about persistence," he said. "These kids have fought, and I'm hoping and praying that our town comes out Saturday. Central State is really good, and we need every person in Owensboro who cares about Kentucky Wesleyan to be at our game."
