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ATLANTA – The Kennesaw State women's basketball team overcame a slow start to earn the program's first-ever win over Georgia State, 73-64, on Wednesday night (Dec. 3) at the GSU Sports Arena.
 
"It was a total team effort again," said head coach Nitra Perry "Jas with 26 points and eight rebounds and Deandrea with 22 points to lead us, then I think the x-factor behind all of that was Kristina Wells. She was a point away from a double-double and had seven assists and no turnovers, which was huge for us. She has been playing unselfish basketball and I am so happy for her being a senior. We had never beaten Georgia State and so it is such a great sendoff for her. The last two years have clearly been rough and I have had her in every position from the point to the post, so for her to see that success tonight in her natural position, I am just thrilled."
 
"I am also extremely proud of the fact that we posted the most assists we have had all year as a team. Karly with six assists, Kristina with seven, and Aareon with six and with all that as a team having only seven turnovers against a very scrapping and pressing team, I was just so proud of them. Every time I come out they impress me a little bit more because I am pretty tough on them."
 
Junior Jasmine McAllister paced the Owls (5-2) with a career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 from the field and eight rebounds, while sophomore Deandrea Sawyers was two points shy of a career-high with 22 points. Senior Kristina Wells added nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while not committing a turnover in the winning effort.
 
"This was huge for the program. We always talk about winning the state and it started with Georgia Southern. To come down the road after dropping one to Georgia Tech, we really felt like we owed them because they beat us by six at our place last year. I feel like the last two days our kids have been extremely focused. Karly and Jas have only been here for a few months, so they did not really understand the impact that this win has on Kennesaw State women's basketball as a whole, but Kristina, Deandrea and those kids, it was huge. When we got around the corner on the way to the locker room, we could help but start dancing it was just that big of a win, just for the morale and also going into Saturday against Murray State at home. We want to show our fans what we have been doing on the road. We have had a pretty good start, but we want to keep that going when we go back home."
 
It was a slow start for the Owls as the Panthers (3-2) opened the game with eight-straight points, before Sawyers connected on a three-pointer to put KSU on the board.
 
Trailing 12-3 at the 14:44 mark of the first half, the Owl strung together a 15-4 run over the next five minutes to take their first lead of the game at 18-16, spurred by six points from Sawyers.
 
The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes with neither team pushing its lead over three points. With the game tied at 32-32 with three minutes left in the half, the Panthers used an 8-1 mini run to take a 40-33 lead with 28 seconds remaining on the clock. With the ball in the final possession of the period, McAllister converted a pair of free throws to send the Owls into intermission trailing 40-35.
 
Out of the break, the Panthers pushed its advantage to seven on two occasions, before the Owls sprang to live with eight-straight points, including a Wells traditional three-point play to give KSU back the lead at 45-44.
 
The Owls gained momentum in the back-and-forth affair midway through the second half as sophomore Aareon Smith drained a three-pointer to give KSU the lead for good at 56-55 with 11:59 left on the clock. From that point, the Owls put together an 18-4 run over the next nine minutes to take a commanding 71-59 lead with less than three minute remaining in the game, including keeping the Panthers scoreless for the final five minutes of the run.
 
Makeba Ponder ended the GSU drought with a three-pointer at the 2:07 mark, but it would be too little too late for the Panthers as one more layup from McAllister sent the Owls to the 73-64 victory.
 
As a team, KSU shot 46.3 percent and connected on 31-of-67 from the field, including a 48.6 mark in the second half.
 
The Owls dished out a season-high 18 assists, while only committing seven turnovers. Along with Well's season and game-high seven assists, junior Karly Frye gave out six helpers and Smith equaled a career high with three assists.
 
In return, KSU collected seven steals and forced the Panthers into 13 turnovers on the night, which the Owls converted into 16 points. McAllister, Frye and Wells each notched two steals in the win.
 
Ashlee Cole led the Panthers with 12 points, while Brittany Logan grabbed 10 boards for the home team.
 
After over three weeks away from the friendly confines of the KSU Convocation Center, the Owls return to Kennesaw on Saturday, Dec. 6 for a 2:30 p.m. contest against Ohio Valley Conference opponent Murray State. Saturday's game will be a part of a KSU basketball double header, with the men's team playing earlier at 12 p.m. against Kent State.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsWBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.