By: KSU Sports Information
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KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State women’s basketball team has hit its stride at the perfect time as it looks to extend its home winning-streak to four games when it hosts in-state rival Mercer on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Coming into Saturday, the Lady Owls (11-13, 6-7 A-Sun) sit in fourth place in the league standings with only five games remaining until the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. KSU has a golden opportunity to close out its recent three-game home stand with an unblemished record, and improve its position in the league standings, but head coach Colby Tilley knows his team has to remain focused.
“This is our third consecutive home game and before this home stand started we talked about how important it was for us to win all three of them,” coach Tilley said. “So far we have won the first two, but tomorrow’s game is probably one of the most important games we will play all season. The girls are excited and focused for Saturday because of how tight the conference race is right now, and that we are playing against our in-state rival at home, but it should be a great game.”
Last time out the Lady Owls came back from a 15-point first half deficit to earn it’s first-ever win over ETSU last Saturday, 78-68, in front of 1,524 fans at the KSU Convocation Center. KSU fell behind by as much as 15 points in the first half, but began the second half on a 29-13 run and never looked back to hold on for the win. All five starters for KSU scored in double-digits with junior guard Chelcey Farrar leading the way as she picked up the second double-double of her career with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Kennesaw State leads the all-time series over Mercer, 8-5, including winning three of the last four against the Bears. A big reason for KSU’s recent success over MU is junior forward Sametria Gideon who is averaging a double-double in her last two games against Mercer with 14.5 ppg and 14.0 rpg.
Mercer (4-20, 2-11 A-Sun) is coming off an 87-71 win over USC Upstate last Saturday. The Bears return four starters from a team that went 2-27 last season. MU was picked to finish eighth in the A-Sun Preseason Coach’s Poll, and is led by sophomore guard Briana Williams who just broke the A-Sun scoring record by pouring in 54 points against Upstate.
Saturday’s game will be Kennesaw State’s “Pack the House” game as part of the Atlantic Sun Conference’s initiative to boost women’s basketball attendance. A-Sun women’s basketball is averaging more than 2,000 fans for every “Pack the House” game. Also, the first 200 students to arrive at the game will receive free “Beat Mercer” T-shirts.
