KENNESAW STATE AT AUSTIN PEAY Dec. 14 | 8 P.M. (ET) | Winfield Dunn Center Watch | Live Stats | KSU Game Notes Twitter: @KSUOwlsWBB

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• Following a 10-day layoff for the Owls, Kennesaw State (1-6) and Austin Peay (5-5) are set to meet Wednesday (Dec. 14) at the Winfield Dunn Center. Tip-off is 8 p.m. (ET).
• Wednesday's contest will mark the 1,000th game in KSU women's basketball history.
• 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 overall season as a head coach that includes tenures at Rider (1981-85), Georgia Tech (1988-2003), Pitt (2003-13) and Kennesaw State. Heading into Wednesday's game, Berenato has posted a 445-419 (.515) record and guided her teams to 11 postseason appearances (5 NCAA, 6 WNIT).
• Kennesaw State just concluded a stretch of five straight games against teams from the state of Georgia. The run included contests against Georgia Tech (Nov. 16), Georgia State (Nov. 22), Savannah State (Nov. 26), Georgia (Nov. 29) and Mercer (Dec. 3).
• The Owls and Governors are meeting for the fourth time in series history. Kennesaw State won last year's meeting, 73-65, at the KSU Convocation Center.
• Wednesday's contest against Austin Peay marks the first of two straight games the Owls will play against Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) opponents. KSU will host Morehead State on Saturday (Dec. 17) at the KSU Convocation Center beginning at noon (ET). It will mark KSU's final home game of the 2016 calendar year.
 
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.
 
MERCER RECAP
Without the threat of an inside presence, the Kennesaw State women's basketball team struggled offensively and fell 61-46 at Mercer on Dec. 3. The Bears (7-1), ranked No. 18 in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, broke open a two-point game at halftime by outscoring the Owls 24-7 in the third quarter en route to their sixth straight win. Junior guard Kelly Dulkoski led Kennesaw State with a game-high 16 points. The Owls held Mercer below its season scoring average of 70.0 points a game, and limited the Bears' top two scorers, Khalia Lawrence (18.6 ppg.) and Keke Calloway (16.7 ppg), to eight and four points, respectively.
 
SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY
The Governors are currently 5-5 on the season and have lost two straight, including a 68-54 setback at Evansville on Dec. 10. Austin Peay is averaging 63.0 points a game, while allowing 63.7 points a contest. Senior center Tearra Banks is the lone Governor scoring in double figures as she is averaging 16.1 points a contest and tops the team with 8.4 rebounds a game.
 
SERIES VERSUS AUSTIN PEAY
Wednesday's game will mark the fourth meeting between the Owls and Governors with Kennesaw State leading the all-time series, 2-1. The two programs last met a year ago in Kennesaw, and the Owls recorded a 73-65 victory behind 23 points from Aareon Smith. Kelly Dulkoski and Deandrea Sawyers also finished in double figures with 18 and 16 points, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
Following Wednesday's game, Kennesaw State will play its final home game of the 2016 calendar year when it hosts Morehead State in a noon (ET) tip-off at the KSU Convocation Center.
 
THE GRADUATE
Redshirt junior Chloe Branch participated in commencement exercises on Tuesday (Dec. 13). The Owls' forward earned a bachelor's degree in political science and will be continuing her education as she pursues a master's degree in public administration.
 
SETTING SEASON HIGHS
In their 72-60 win over Savannah State on Nov. 26, the Owls set season highs for points (72), field goals made (27), rebounds (47), steals (12) and blocked shots (6).
 
ESTABLISHING CAREER HIGHS
In the win over Savannah State, several Owls established single-game career highs. Here is a list:
 
• Allison Johnson (16 rebounds; 3 blocks)
• Deandrea Sawyers (5 steals)
• Deja McPhee (9 points, 9 rebounds)
 
TWO OWLS AVERAGING DOUBLE FIGURES
After seven games, Kennesaw State has two players scoring in double figures. Junior guard Clara Young leads the Owls with 12.3 points per game, while sophomore forward Allison Johnson ranks second with 12.0 points a contest.
 
CLARA YOUNG
Clara Young, who has reached double figures in points in five of seven games this season, ranks seventh in the ASUN in scoring with 12.3 points per game, second in assists (4.1) and seventh in steals (1.7).
 
ALLISON JOHNSON IN THE ASUN
Sophomore forward Allison Johnson ranks eighth in the ASUN in scoring (12.0) and fourth in rebounding (7.7).
 
ICEIS WALKER
Sophomore guard Iceis Walker, who is averaging 6.2 points a contest, is shooting 81.8 percent (18-for-22) from the free throw line, a mark that ranks fifth in the ASUN Conference.
 
CHLOE BRANCH SETS CAREER HIGH
Junior Chloe Branch established a career-high with 13 points at Georgia State (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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