SAVANNAH STATE VS. KENNESAW STATE Nov. 26 | 12 P.M. | KSU Convocation Center ESPN3 | Live Stats | KSU Notes Twitter: @KSUOwlsWBB

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• The Owls (0-4) and Tigers (2-2) are set to meet Saturday (Nov. 26) at the KSU Convocation Center. Tip-off is 12 p.m.
• Free ugly Christmas koozies will be given away to the first 500 fans.  Santa Claus will be available for photos between 1 and 4 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m.
• The 2016-17 season marks the 35th year of Kennesaw State women's basketball and 12th at the NCAA Division I level.
• Highly-respected head coach Agnus Berenato is in her first season leading the Owls' program.
• Berenato is in her 30th season as a head coach that includes tenures at Rider (1981-85), Georgia Tech (1988-2003) and Pitt (2003-13). Heading into Saturday's game, Berenato has posted a 444-417 (.516) record and guided her teams to 11 postseason appearances (5 NCAA, 6 WNIT).
• Kennesaw State is in the midst of playing five consecutive teams from the state of Georgia. The stretch began on Nov. 16 when the Owls hosted Georgia Tech at the KSU Convocation Center. KSU met Georgia State on Nov. 22, and following Saturday's contest against Savannah State (Nov. 26), the Owls will conclude the stretch with road games at Georgia (Nov. 29) and Mercer (Dec. 3).
• Kennesaw State is coming off its best shooting game of the season after connecting on 41.7 percent (20-for-48) of its field goal attempts against Georgia State on Tuesday.
• Junior Clara Young scored 15 points to lead a group of four Owls in double figures.
• Kennesaw State is seeking its first win of the season against Savannah State.
 
CASH FOR CANCER
Fifth Third Bank is donating $53 to Stand Up to Cancer for every 3-pointer that the Kennesaw State women's basketball team makes during the season.
 
GEORGIA STATE RECAP
A valiant second-half comeback came up just short as Kennesaw State fell, 62-59, to Georgia State Tuesday (Nov. 22) at the GSU Sports Arena. The Owls (0-4), who rallied from behind to take a 57-52 lead with 6:11 remaining, saw the Panthers (3-2) go on a 10-2 run the rest of the way to record the victory and deny Kennesaw State its first win of the season. Junior Clara Young led the Owls with a career-high tying 15 points, while junior Chloe Branch came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points, and sophomores Allison Johnson and Iceis Walker each added 10 points. Young scored in double figures for the fourth time this season.
 
SCOUTING SAVANNAH STATE
The Tigers are currently 2-2 on the season following a 74-51 loss at Iowa on Tuesday (Nov. 22). Savannah State has wins over Columbia College (68-52) and Alabama State (54-39). Three Tigers are scoring in double figures and are led by senior guard Lauren Moss, who is contributing 15.0 points a game, while senior center Tiyonda Davis is averaging a double-double with 10.5 points and 11.8 rebounds a contest.
 
SERIES VERSUS SAVANNAH STATE
The Owls and Tigers are meeting for the second time and Kennesaw State leads the all-time series, 1-0. The two programs only meeting came in 2006 and the Owls recorded a 74-66 victory in Kennesaw.
 
UP NEXT
Following Saturday's contest, Kennesaw State will travel to Athens to meet Georgia on Tuesday (Nov. 29). Tip-off is 7 p.m. 
 
TWO OWLS AVERAGING DOUBLE FIGURES
After four games, Kennesaw State has two players averaging in double figures. Sophomore Allison Johnson tops the team with 13.8 points a contest, while junior guard Clara Young is contributing 13.3 points a contest.
 
ALLISON JOHNSON IN THE ASUN
Sophomore Allison Johnson is off to a solid start this season as she ranks seventh in the ASUN in scoring (13.8) and rebounding (7.5).
 
CLARA YOUNG
Junior guard Clara Young, who has been the Owls' leading scorer in three of their first four games, ranks eighth in the ASUN in scoring with 13.3 points per game, first in assists (4.5) and tied for sixth in free throw percentage (83.3 percent).
 
CHLOE BRANCH SETS CAREER HIGH
Junior Chloe Branch established a career-high with 13 points at Georgia State on Tuesday (Nov. 2). Branch connected on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 1-for-2 from the foul line while playing 28 minutes.
 
COACHING CONNECTIONS
The 2016-17 schedule features two opponents that are led by former assistants of first-year head coach Agnus Berenato. MaChelle Joseph, who was an assistant under Berenato at Georgia Tech, is now leading the Yellow Jackets' program, while her former assistant at Pitt, Yolett McPhee-McCuin, is now guiding the Jacksonville program.
 
THE COACHING STAFF
Head coach Agnus Berenato has assembled an experienced and well-respected coaching staff. Including Berenato's 29 years as a Division I head coach, the KSU coaching staff has a combined 55 years of experience at the Division I level. The staff is comprised of Khadija Head (8 years), Sherill Baker (4 years) and Lisa Pace (14 years).
 
WELCOME TO THE NEST
Head coach Agnus Berenato announced her first signing class on Thursday as the coaching staff inked four players to National Letters-of-Intent and one individual to a Grant-In-Aid. Brianna Dixon (Duluth, Ga. / Duluth High School), Breanna Hoover (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Blackhawk High School), Lexi Mann (Stone Mountain, Ga. / Greater Atlanta Christian) and Alexis Poole (Ellenwood, Ga. / Stockbridge High School) have signed National Letters-of-Intent and will enroll at Kennesaw State next fall. Caroline Dan (Copenhagen, Denmark / Falkonergaarden Gymnasium) has signed a Grant-In-Aid and will join the program in January.
 
OWLS 6TH IN ASUN COACHES POLL
Kennesaw State, coming off an 11-19 season and fifth-place finish a year ago, was picked sixth in the ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Jacksonville, which captured last season's conference tournament, was picked first in the poll after receiving 60 points and five first-place votes. Regular-season champion Florida Gulf Coast was voted second, after collecting two first-place votes and 55 points. Kennesaw State garnered 23 points.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook. Follow Coach Berenato on Twitter @KSUCoachB.   
   

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