By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - After a thrilling, last-second win Saturday night, the Kennesaw State women's basketball team will try to earn its second straight Atlantic Sun Conference win as it takes on North Florida Monday night at 7 p.m. at the KSU Convocation Center.
The Lady Owls (4-12) have had a flair for the dramatic in their wins this season. All four wins have come by an average of two points, with the biggest win of the season being just three points over Alabama State Nov. 19 at the Convocation Center. In last Saturday's, 71-69, win over Jacksonville, Angie Smith scored 21 points, but her biggest basket of the evening came on a jumper with just 0.5 seconds remaining to provide the winning margin.
While happy with Saturday's victory over the Dolphins, KSU head coach Colby Tilley is still looking for improvement from his team against the Ospreys. "I want us to play a full 40 minutes," said coach Tilley. "In the first half against Jacksonville, I thought we played 16 minutes, and [JU] was able to capitalize when we let down for those four minutes."
The Lady Owls did one of their best jobs of taking care of the basketball this season last Saturday, only turning the ball over 15 times. Part of that is due to the emergence of Christie Leverette, who has been running the point for good portions of the game. "Christie does a good job of finding the open player," said coach Tilley. "In late game situations, we still like for Angie to bring the ball up because she is such a good scorer, but Christie has been doing a good job of taking care of the basketball."
North Florida (6-11, 4-4) is coming off a last-second win of its own, as a jumper by Jadhken Kerr with two seconds to go in the contest gave UNF a, 56-54, win over Mercer last Saturday afternoon in Macon. Larkira Jones notched her third double-double of the season and second in as many games with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Monday night's contest will be available via ASun.TV with David Albert on the call.
