Tip:  4:30 p.m. (ET)
ESPN3 | Live Stats
BROADCASTERS:
P-By-P: Jason Patterson
Color: Tom Van Hoy
USC Upstate Series Info: Kennesaw State leads, 23-13
Last Meeting: 2017, Kennesaw State, 74-67
Kennesaw State Notes | USC Upstate Notes

• Kennesaw State (5-11, 1-4) resumes ASUN Conference play on Saturday when it visits USC Upstate (6-14, 1-4) in Spartanburg, S.C. Tip-off is 4:30 p.m. (ET) at the G.B. Hodge Center, and the game will be available on ESPN3.   
• The Owls are coming off a big 66-49 home victory over Stetson on Monday (Jan. 22) and looking to extend their winning streak over the Spartans to three games. KSU captured both meetings during the 2016-17 season. 
• USC Upstate enters the contest on four-game losing streak after falling 71-45 to Jacksonville on Saturday. 
• Guard Kamiyah Street continues to demonstrate why she is regarded as one of the top freshmen in the country, earning ASUN Conference Newcomer of the Week and Freshman of the Week on Tuesday after averaging 19 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 50 percent (14-for-18) from the field and playing 39 minutes a game.
• Street ranks third in the country among freshmen in scoring average (16.7 ppg.), and sixth among freshmen and 33rd overall in steals per game (2.8). 
• Kennesaw State has three players scoring in double figures during ASUN play. Street tops the Owls with 19.0 points a game, while freshman forward Alexis Poole and sophomore forward Carlotta Gianolla are contributing 12.6 and 11.6 points, respectively.  
• The 2017-18 season marks Kennesaw State's 13th at the NCAA Division I level and the Owls are 138-232 (.373) 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 career record of 459-444 (.508).
 
SCOUTING USC UPSTATE
The Spartans enter the weekend 6-14 overall and 1-4 in ASUN Conference Play. USC Upstate has lost its last four games, including a 71-45 home loss to Jacksonville on Saturday. The Spartans are third in the ASUN in scoring (65.2) and fifth in scoring defense (68.4). Junior guard Tamara Thorpe tops USC Upstate in scoring, averaging 12.0 points a game, while freshman guard Anda Kuzimina, is contributing 10.0 points a contest.
 
SERIES VERSUS USC UPSTATE
Saturday's contest marks the 37th meeting between the two programs, with Kennesaw State leading the all-time series, 23-13. KSU captured both contests a year ago, including a 79-71 overtime victory in Spartanburg.
 
STETSON RECAP 
Freshman guard Kamiyah Street scored a game-high 24 points, totaled a career-high eight assists and added four steals to lead Kennesaw State to a 66-49 victory over visiting Stetson Monday at the KSU Convocation Center. Freshman forward Alexis Poole scored eight of her 12 points in a big third quarter as the Owls outscored the Hatters 20-12 in the period to erase a 27-26 halftime deficit and take a 46-39 lead into the final quarter. KSU never trailed the remainder of the game as it posted its first win over Stetson since 2009. Poole added a team-high tying eight rebounds, while senior Clara Young contributed 11 points and six assists, and sophomore Carlotta Gianolla totaled seven points and eight rebounds.
 
YOUTH SERVED
With five freshmen on its roster, Kennesaw State began 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 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) has the highest percentage of freshmen on its roster.  
 
STREET HONORS
Freshman guard Kamiyah Street's impressive play this season has been rewarded as she has earned ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week honors five times (Dec. 5, Dec. 19, Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, Jan. 23), and selected Player of the Week (Dec. 19) and Newcomer of the Week (Jan.23). 
 
STREET SOARING
Guard Kamiyah Street has been the ASUN Conference's top freshman this season as she currently leads the Owls in scoring, averaging 16.7 points a game. She has led KSU in scoring nine times, reached double digits in 14 of 16 contests and scored 20 or more points six times. The Owls' rookie leads all ASUN freshmen in scoring, ranking third, and is first in steals (2.8 per game). She is averaging 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.6 steals a contest during ASUN Conference play. She tops the conference in assists and steals, and is second in points.
 
GIANOLLA SHINES
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla has returned to form following an injury. She has started 12 straight games and is second on the team with 10.0 points a game. She has reached double digits in nine of her 12 starts while averaging 12.0 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.  She tallied a season-high 19 points and nine rebounds in the Owls' win over Presbyterian. The KSU sophomore has scored at least 10 points in eight of her last 10 games. 
 
YOUNG CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Clara Young has made the most of her opportunities during her three seasons as an Owl. She is currently third in Kennesaw State Division I history in assists (225), ninth in steals (84) and tied for sixth in games started (67). Earlier this season, she scored 18 points versus Georgia State to establish a single-game career high.
 
POOLE PROGRESSING
Freshman forward Alexis Poole is making an impact on the Owls this season. The first-year player is averaging 9.4 points and 8.0 rebounds a game. She is third in the conference in rebounding and her 18 boards against Middle Georgia State rank as the third-most in KSU Division I history. Poole is averaging 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds in ASUN Conference play.
 
A WINNING FORMULA
In their five wins, the Owls are averaging 67.6 points a game, shooting 41.4 percent from the field, and out-rebounding their opponent by an average of 10.8 boards a game. Freshman Kamiyah Street has sparked KSU, averaging 21.4 points, 3.0 steals and 3.6 assists, while sophomore Carlotta Gianolla has contributed 12.6 points and 6.8 boards a contest.
 
PRESEASON HONORS
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla was a unanimous selection to the 2017-18 ASUN Preseason All-Conference team. Gianolla is 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, which finished 10-20 and in fourth place in ASUN Conference a year ago, was picked fourth in the ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Defending tournament champion Florida Gulf Coast, garnered the top spot after receiving 62 points and six first-place votes. Jacksonville was second, after collecting two first-place votes and 53 points. Kennesaw State received 39 points.
 
UP NEXT
Following Saturday's game at USC Upstate, the Owls return home to the KSU Convocation Center on Feb. 3 to host NJIT at 11 a.m. It will mark Education Day.  
 
WELCOME TO THE NEST
Agnus Berenato and her staff signed two highly talented recruits during the early signing period. Guards Amani Johnson (North Versailles, Pa. / East Allegheny HS) and Peyton Lewis (Hampton, Ga. / Locust Grove HS) will join the Owls' roster next fall.
 
Single-game tickets to all home games are priced at $5 and can be purchased online at www.ksuowls.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (470) 578-4849.

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.   
 

-GoKSUOwls-

 

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