PUERTO RICO CLASSIC KENNESAW STATE VS. ARKANSAS STATE Dec. 19 | 3 p.m. (ET) | South Point Arena Watch | Live Stats | KSU Game Notes Twitter: @KSUOwlsWBB

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• The Owls (1-8) and Red Wolves (1-8) meet Monday (Dec. 19) during the first day of the Puerto Rico Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. (ET) at the South Point Arena.
• Kennesaw State is scheduled to play three games during the tournament. The Owls meet Portland State (4-4) on Tuesday (Dec. 20) at 7:30 p.m. (ET) before concluding play against Xavier (7-1) on Wednesday (Dec. 21) at 7:45 p.m. (ET).
• The Puerto Rico Classic with mark the final action of the 2016 calendar year for the Owls.
• Monday's game against Arkansas State marks the first meeting between the two programs.
• The 2016-17 season represents 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 Monday's game, Berenato has posted a 445-421 (.514) record and guided her teams to 11 postseason appearances (5 NCAA, 6 WNIT).
• Tom Berenato, brother-in-law of head coach Agnus Berenato, will serve as a guest coach and have a seat on the bench versus Arkansas 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.
 
MOREHEAD STATE RECAP
Senior guard Deandrea Sawyers scored a season and game-high 17 points to lead Kennesaw State during a 71-50 setback to Morehead State Saturday (Dec. 17) at the KSU Convocation Center. A slow start put the Owls in an early hole as the Eagles (9-3) used their size and athleticism to jump out to a 10-0 lead and seized control of the game. Kennesaw State missed its first nine shots before Sawyers hit a 3-point basket at the 4:40 mark of the first quarter. Junior guard Clara Young, who finished with 10 points, hit two big 3-pointers in the third quarter that helped Kennesaw State win the period, 17-16. Freshman Carlotta Gianolla, starting her second straight game after missing six contests with an injury, scored nine points and grabbed a career-high six rebounds, while junior Deja McPhee led the Owls with nine rebounds.
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
The Red Wolves enter the week 1-8 and have lost two in a row, including a 68-63 setback at UT Martin on Dec. 14. Arkansas State has two players scoring in double figures and is led by Dominique Oliver, who is averaging 10.4 points a contest. Akasha Westbrook is contributing 10.1 points a game and team-high 4.9 rebounds. The Red Wolves are averaging 58.2 points a game and shooting 33.2 percent from the field.
 
SERIES VERSUS ARKANSAS STATE
Monday's game marks the first meeting between the Red Wolves and Owls.
 
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State continues play in the Puerto Rico Classic on Tuesday (Dec. 20) when it meets Portland State at 7:30 p.m. at South Point Arena.
 
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.
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Heading into this week's play, Kennesaw State's strength of schedule was ranked No. 39 nationally by HERO College Sports News. The Owls' schedule includes four teams - Mercer (No. 13), Stetson (No. 17), Florida Gulf Coast (No. 19) and Jacksonville (No. 22) - that are currently ranked in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Currently 12 teams on KSU's schedule possess a winning record.
 
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) 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)
 
CLARA YOUNG
Clara Young, who has reached double figures in points in six of nine games this season, ranks 11th in the ASUN in scoring with 10.9 points per game, fourth in assists (3.4) and ninth in steals (1.7).
 
ALLISON JOHNSON IN THE ASUN
Sophomore forward Allison Johnson ranks fifth in the ASUN in rebounding (6.8).
 
ICEIS WALKER
Sophomore guard Iceis Walker, who is averaging 6.4 points a contest, is shooting 81.5 percent (22-for-27) from the free throw line, a mark that ranks sixth in the ASUN Conference.
 
SAWYERS HEATING UP
Senior guard Deandrea Sawyers, who ranks second in Kennesaw State NCAA Division I program history in points scored, has been hot the last two games. The Owls' senior is averaging 16.0 points a game while connecting on 60 percent (12-for-20) of her field goal attempts.
 
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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