TEMPLE AT KENNESAW STATE Jan. 4 | 2 P.M. | KSU Convocation Center Watch | Live Stats | KSU Game Notes Twitter: @KSUOwlsWBB

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• Kennesaw State (1-12) and Temple (9-3) are scheduled to meet Wednesday (Jan. 4) afternoon at the KSU Convocation Center. Tip-off is 2 p.m. (ET).
• New Kennesaw State University President Sam Olens will serve as guest coach for Wednesday's game and have a seat on the bench.
• Wednesday's contest marks the first meeting between the two programs.
• Kennesaw State will be playing its final non-conference game before opening ASUN Conference play Saturday (Jan. 7) at Lipscomb. Tip-off is 2:30 p.m. (ET).
• The Owls are seeking their second home win of the season. KSU topped Savannah State, 72-60, on Nov. 26.
• 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 Wednesday's game, Berenato has posted a 445-425 (.511) record and guided her teams to 11 postseason appearances (5 NCAA, 6 WNIT).
• Following Wednesday's game, the Kennesaw State players will sign autographs on the concourse level of the KSU Convocation Center.
 
WOFFORD RECAP
A slow start was too much to overcome for the Kennesaw State women's basketball team as the Owls fell 78-49 to Wofford Monday (Jan. 2) at the KSU Convocation Center. Senior guard Aareon Smith led the Owls (1-12) with 10 points, while junior forward Katie Polinsky contributed career-high totals of six points and five rebounds, and sophomore Alexandra Landby set career highs with three points and three rebounds. A combination of a hot-shooting Wofford (9-5) team and a tough shooting day by Kennesaw State set the tone early as the Terriers shot 61.1 percent (11-for-18) from the field in the first quarter and led 26-8 after the opening 10 minutes. Wofford finished the contest shooting 51.7 percent (31-for-60) from the field, while the Owls shot 26.8 percent for the game. Opening the second half with reserves on the floor, the Owls played the Terriers to a 31-28 score and outscored Wofford, 11-10, in the fourth quarter.
 
SCOUTING TEMPLE
The Owls are currently 9-3 on the season and have won five in a row. Temple opened American Athletic Conference play on Sunday (Jan. 1) and posted a 73-67 overtime victory at Memphis. Temple is averaging 71.7 points a contest and has four players scoring in double figures. Senior Feyonda Fitzgerald is averaging 18.8 points a game to lead the Owls.
 
SERIES VERSUS TEMPLE
Wednesday's contest between Kennesaw State and Temple will mark the first meeting between the two programs.
 
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State opens ASUN Conference play Saturday (Jan. 7) when it travels to Nashville, Tenn. to face Lipscomb. Tip-off is slated for 2:30 p.m. (ET).
 
GIANOLLA ASUN NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Freshman Carlotta Gianolla was recently honored for her impressive performance during the Puerto Rico Classic by being named the ASUN Conference Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Week (Dec. 26). The Owls' rookie averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and connected on 43.2 percent of her field goal attempts, while averaging 28.3 minutes a contest. She was KSU's leading scorer in two of three games, reached double figures in each contest, and posted her first career double-double. Gianolla opened the tournament with 12 points and five rebounds versus Arkansas State before scoring a career-high 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds versus Portland State. The Marcon, Italy native capped the week by contributing 10 points and collecting a career-high 10 rebounds versus Xavier.
 
THE GRADUATE
Redshirt junior Chloe Branch participated in commencement exercises on 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.
 
OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
During its three games at the Puerto Rico Classic, Kennesaw State improved its offensive production. The Owls averaged 60.0 points a game and had three players - Carlotta Gianolla (12.0), Deandrea Sawyers (11.3) and Allison Johnson (11.0) - post double-digit scoring averages. Additionally, Clara Young averaged 9.7 points a contest. The 60.0 points a game is an improvement over the Owls' season average of 54.8 points a contest.
 
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 ranks 13th in the ASUN in scoring with 10.2 points per game, fourth in assists (3.3) and 12th in steals (1.5).
 
ALLISON JOHNSON IN THE ASUN
Sophomore forward Allison Johnson ranks fifth in the ASUN in rebounding (7.1).
 
ICEIS WALKER
Sophomore guard Iceis Walker, who is averaging 6.3 points a contest, is shooting 78.8 percent (26-for-33) from the free throw line, a mark that ranks fifth in the ASUN Conference.
 
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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