FRANKFORT, Ky. (Men's basketball) – Denzel Dillingham's two free throws with :07 left on the clock in the second half sealed the Lion's fourth road victory over Kentucky State on Monday night, 68-64.

In the first half, Arnis Libazs got Paine started with a quick jumper at the 19:11 mark, 2-0. His basket started an eight point run for the Lions that was halted when the Thoroughbred's Malcolm Smith tied the game with 14:38 left in the first half, 11-11. Paine tried to jump start the offense through the rest of the half but to no avail.

Kentucky State would keep up the team's scoring barrage and go into halftime leading the Lions by five points, 35-30.
Alfonso Davis came out and tried to start Paine's offense up with a jumper with 19:53 left in the second half, 35-32. The Thoroughbreds began to stomp out the fire that was beginning with quick shots and fast passes.  At the 19:03 mark in the second half, Ulysses Thomas, III pulled up and made a three pointer to put the score at 38-32. Libazs answered for the Lions when he picked up an assist from Patrick Petty for a layup with 17:14 left in the second half.

Paine took the lead and kept it the rest of the second half. The team would stretch their lead to eight points with 7:06 left in the second and Nathan Powell scored a layup, 56-48. Kentucky State didn't recover from the deficit.

Dillingham led the Lions again in points tonight with 22 and in rebounds with eight. He was followed by Libazs with 15 points and Davis with 13 points. Takija Knight was second in rebounds for the game with six. Knight accounted for a team-high four blocks for against the Thoroughbreds.  Libazs followed him with three of his own blocks. Petty, Libazs, and Powell each had three assists for the night.  

As a team, Paine finished the night with 37 rebounds, 10 blocks, nine assists and three steals. The team was 44.1 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from the arc, and 68.4 percent from the free throw line. The Lions bench accounted for 32 points.

The Thoroughbreds were led by Smith with 21 points for the night. He was followed by Thomas, III with 16 points. Thomas, III accounted for most of the teams steal with three. The leading rebounders for Kentucky State were Julius Barton and Tim Bates with six a piece. Bates was also the leading blocker with two for the game. Dorian Jordan had the most assists for the Thoroughbreds with seven.

Collectively, Kentucky State finished the night with 38 rebounds, 14 assists, four steals, and three blocks. The team was 38.3 from the field, 33.3 perfect from the arc, and 75 percent from the free throw line. The Thoroughbred bench accounted for 36 points.

With the win, the Lion move to 9-3 overall and 5-0 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Kentucky State drops to 3-8 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

The Lions return home to the HEAL Complex on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. to face Lane College.

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