KENNESAW STATE 66, NJIT 56 Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML)

NEWARK, N.J. – Senior guard Deandrea Sawyers scored 20 points and totaled 11 rebounds to lead Kennesaw State to its fifth straight win following a 66-56 victory over NJIT in an ASUN Conference game Wednesday (Feb. 8) at Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark, N.J.
 
Junior Kelly Dulkoski added 15 points and freshman Carlotta Gianolla contributed 10 points for the Owls (7-16, 6-3), who set a program record with their fifth straight ASUN Conference victory, and equaled their conference win total from a year ago. The win also moved KSU into a tie with Jacksonville for third place in the standings.
 
A 14-0 run to end the third quarter gave Kennesaw State a 51-37 lead, and the Owls withstood a late NJIT (10-14, 3-6) run that saw the Highlanders cut the lead to three points at 57-54 with 3:20 remaining, to keep their win streak alive.

Gianolla answered the NJIT run with a big basket and ignited a 9-2 run to close out the game.

"That was the best third quarter we've had this year," head coach Agnus Berenato said. "We talked about it in the locker room because the third quarter has been our nemesis. I was really proud of the team that they were able to come out and get it going."
 
Sawyers again came up big following halftime as she sparked Kennesaw State's second-half run, scoring 18 of her 20 points after the break, including 10 in the third quarter. She also totaled eight of her 11 rebounds in the final 20 minutes.

Berenato said a key to the Owls' success in the quarter was four straight defensive rebounds by Sawyers that led to scores on each possession.
 
For the second straight game, the Owls were productive from behind the three 3-point line as they made 10 of 26 field goal attempts, including five by Dulkoski, who scored all of her points from long range. She also played solid defense against NJIT's Kelly Guarino, the Highlanders' top 3-point shooter who was held to just two baskets from behind the arc.
 
As has been the case in all of its wins this season, Kennesaw State won the battle on the boards, outrebounding NJIT, 37-36.
 
NOTES
* With 20 points against NJIT, senior Deandrea Sawyers has now scored at least 15 points in seven straight games while averaging 20.7 points a contest. Sawyers also increased her career point total to 1,301 and is 73 points shy of tying Kristina Wells (2011-15) for first place on the program's all-time Division I scoring list. Wells concluded her career with 1,374 points.

NEXT UP
The Owls return to action on Saturday (Feb. 11) when they travel to Fort Myers to take on Florida Gulf Coast beginning at 4 p.m. (ET).

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.