By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State's women's basketball team will begin its final Atlantic Sun Conference road trip of the season this Friday afternoon as the Lady Owls travel to Jacksonville, Fla., to take on Jacksonville University. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Arena.
This will mark the second meeting of the season between the Lady Owls and Jacksonville. KSU (8-16, 5-11) saw its season begin to turn around in the first meeting with JU, as Angie Smith's jumper with 0.5 seconds to go lifted KSU to a, 71-69, win over the Dolphins. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak in A-Sun play for the Lady Owls and sparked what would become a three-game winning streak.
Smith was one of three Lady Owls to score in double-figures in the Jan. 22 contest against Jacksonville. Ashley Holliday netted 13 poitns and Sametria Gideon had 12 points to go along with Smith's 21 in the victory. A quartet of Dolphins scored in double-figures, led by Taneskei Richardson and Ashanti Williams who each had 13 points.
Kennesaw State is coming off perhaps its best performance of the season as the Lady Owls defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 63-52, Monday night at the KSU Convocation Center. Smith had 21 points to lead all scorers, while Chelcey Farrar set a new career-high with 13 points.
Jacksonville (11-14, 6-10) nearly pulled an upset of its own Monday night in Johnson City, Tenn., as the Dolphins led East Tennessee State, 44-30, after the first half. The lead would quickly evaporate, however, as ETSU stormed back to win, 75-65. Maggie Wilson led JU with 14 points in the loss.
The winning team Friday evening will control its destiny for the No. 5 seed in the General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Basketball Championship. A win by the Lady Owls will put the two teams in a tie in the standings, but the Lady Owls would hold the tiebreaker by virtue of sweeping the season series. A Jacksonville win would give the Dolphins a two-game lead over the Lady Owls with three games left to play.
ASun.TV will provide full coverage of the contest. KSU's next contest - this Sunday at Noon against North Florida - will be televised regionally by CSS.
