Tip: 2 p.m. (ET)
ESPN3 | Live Stats
Broadcasters: Fred Cunningham (Play-By-Play); Gary Clark (Analyst)
Series Info: Furman leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: 2005, Furman, 98-95
Kennesaw State Game Notes

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• Kennesaw State (0-3), which is in its 36th year of play, continues its season-opening seven-game road trip when it travels to Greenville, S.C. to take on Furman (2-0) Saturday at Timmons Arena. Tip-off is 2 p.m. (ET). The game will be broadcast on ESPN3. 
• Furman (Southern Conference) represents the first opponent Kennesaw State has played this season that is not part of a Power 5 conference. The Owls first three games have been at Clemson (ACC), Ole Miss (SEC) and Georgia Tech (ACC).
• KSU will play five teams - Clemson, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Maryland (Big 10) and Miami (ACC) - from Power 5 conferences this season.
• The Paladins have taken advantage of their home court in the early going, posting wins over College of Charleston (72-58) and Davidson (65-62).
• The 2017-18 season marks Kennesaw State's 13th at the Division I level and the Owls have posted a 133-224 (.372) record since the 2005-06 season.  
• Head coach Agnus Berenato, who is in her 31st season as a Division I head coach, is in her second year leading the Owls. She has an all-time record of 454-436 (.510), in one-plus seasons at Kennesaw State.
• The Owls concluded the 2016-17 season with a 10-20 mark and advanced to the semifinals of the ASUN Conference Championship. KSU posted an 8-4 conference mark and earned the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament, their highest in program history.
• The Owls return one starter - redshirt senior Clara Young - from last year's team. Also returning for KSU is sophomore forward/center Carlotta Gianolla, who was the ASUN Conference's unanimous Freshman of the Year.
 
YOUTH SERVED
With five freshmen on its roster, Kennesaw State enters the 2017-18 season as one of the youngest Division I teams in the country. KSU ranks seventh in the nation with 45.4 percent of its roster comprised of freshmen, while 63.6 percent of its players are either freshmen or sophomores, a mark that ranks 13th nationally. UNCG (87.7 percent) has the highest percentage of freshmen and sophomores, while Savannah State (64.3 percent) - an upcoming KSU opponent - has the highest percentage of freshmen on its roster. 
 
PRESEASON HONORS
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla was a unanimous selection to the 2017-18 ASUN Preseason All-Conference team. Gianolla enters the upcoming season as the reigning ASUN Conference Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24 games during the 2016-17 campaign.
 
Gianolla, who was also a unanimous pick to the ASUN Conference All-Freshman Team, finished in the top 10 of the conference in points per game (10th), rebounding (6th) and field goal percentage (9th). She led all ASUN Conference freshmen in scoring, produced 17 double-digit scoring games and reached double digits in rebounds six times. She recorded six double-doubles and led the Owls in scoring and rebounding seven times.
 
OWLS 4TH IN ASUN COACHES POLL
Kennesaw State, coming off a 10-20 season and fourth-place finish a year ago, was picked fourth in the ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Defending tournament champion Florida Gulf Coast, was selected first in the poll after receiving 62 points and six first-place votes. Jacksonville was second, after collecting two first-place votes and 53 points. Kennesaw State garnered 39 points.
 
SCOUTING FURMAN
The Paladins are currently 2-0 on the season after recording home wins over College of Charleston (72-58) and Davidson (65-52). Furman is averaging 68.5 points a game and outscoring its opponents by an average of 8.5 points a contest. The Paladins have three players scoring in double figures and are led by sophomore guard Le'Jzae Davidson, who is averaging 13.5 points a game. Furman was picked fifth in the Southern Conference preseason coaches' poll.                
 
SERIES VERSUS FURMAN
Saturday's game will mark the second all-time meeting between the Owls and Paladins. Furman posted a 98-95 victory in the 2005-06 season opener in Greenville.
 
UP NEXT
The Owls will play their second straight game, and third in five contests, in the state of South Carolina when they travel to Clinton, S.C., to take on Presbyterian on Tuesday (Nov. 21). Tip-off is 7 p.m.
 
GEORGIA TECH RECAP
A young Kennesaw State team had a difficult time solving the quickness and full court pressure applied by Georgia Tech, falling 86-48 to the Yellow Jackets on Wednesday. Freshman Kamiyah Street led the Owls with 15 points as nine different players scored for KSU. The Yellow Jackets used a 21-2 first-quarter run to take control of the game, capitalizing on nine Owl turnovers to build a 27-9 lead after the opening 10 minutes. Georgia Tech went into halftime with a 48-21 lead, 30-15 rebounding advantage, and outscored KSU 30-8 off the bench in the first half.
 
FRESHMEN FOLLIES
Freshmen Alexis Poole and Kamiyah Street have led the Owls in their first three games. Street has reached double digits in points in each of her last two games and paces KSU with 12.7 points a contest. In her last two contests, Street is averaging 17.5 points.
 
After posting a double-double in her first career game, Poole is second on the team with 9.0 points a contest and tops the club with 8.3 rebounds.
 
YOUNG CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Redshirt-senior Clara Young has made the most of her opportunities during her two-plus seasons as an Owl. She currently ranks fifth in Kennesaw State Division I history in assists (187), ninth in steals (78) and tied for eighth in games started (54). 
 
2016-17 REVIEW
• KSU hosted an ASUN Tournament game for first time in program history.
• The Owls posted a 62-60 home victory over NJIT for their first ASUN tourney win since 2011.
• Carlotta Gianolla became just the second KSU individual to earn ASUN Conference Freshman of the Year, joining Taylor Mills (2011-12). She was a unanimous pick.
• Senior Deandrea Sawyers scored 20 points in the Owls' season finale at Stetson to become KSU's Division I all-time leading scorer with 1,380.
• Sawyers was a second team All-ASUN selection, while Gianolla was selected to the All-Freshman Team. Clara Young and Chloe Branch were named to the All-Academic Team.
 
WELCOME TO THE NEST
Agnus Berenato and her staff signed two highly talented recruits during last week's early signing period. Amani Johnson (North Versailles, Pa. / East Allegheny HS) and Peyton Lewis (Hampton, Ga. / Locust Grove HS) will enroll at Kennesaw State next fall and join the Owls' roster. The focus for Berenato and her staff was strengthening the backcourt as they added a shooting guard (Lewis) and point guard (Johnson).
 
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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