Tip:  11 a.m. (ET)
Watch | Live Stats
BROADCASTERS:
P-By-P: Nathan McCreary
Color: Cindy Gillam
Sideline: Lauren Hoffman
NJIT Series Info: Kennesaw State leads, 5-0
Last Meeting: 2017, Kennesaw State, 62-60, ASUN Quarterfinals
Kennesaw State Game Notes | NJIT Game Notes

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• Kennesaw State (5-12, 1-5) returns to the KSU Convocation Center on Thursday to host NJIT (3-18, 1-5) on Education Day. Tip-off is 11 a.m. (ET), and the game will be available on ESPN3.   
• The Owls are looking to make it two straight home wins after defeating Stetson, 66-49, on Jan. 22. KSU will attempt to rebound from a 65-61 setback at USC Upstate on Saturday.
• NJIT is coming off a 74-58 home loss to Lipscomb on Saturday.
• Kennesaw State has posted a 5-0 all-time record against NJIT in a series that dates back to the 2015-16 season.
• Guard Kamiyah Street has established herself as the premiere freshman in the ASUN Conference and one of the top rookies in the country. She has earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors five times, and been named Player and Newcomer of the Week.  
• Street ranks third in the country among freshmen in scoring average (16.5 ppg.), and fourth among freshmen and 41st overall in steals per game (2.7). 
• Kennesaw State has three players scoring in double figures during ASUN play. Street tops the Owls with 18.2 points a game, while sophomore Carlotta Gianolla and freshman Alexis Poole are averaging 12.2 and 11.5 points per game, respectively.  
• The 2017-18 season marks Kennesaw State's 13th at the NCAA Division I level and the Owls are 138-233 (.372) 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 459-445 (.508).
 
GUEST COACH
Retired Professor Emeritus of Psychology and former Kennesaw State administrator Linda Noble will serve as a guest coach on Thursday. She has recently returned to the University in a part-time role, joining the Office of Academic Affairs, and will serve as interim provost when Dr. Ken Harmon transitions to interim president on Feb. 15.
 
SCOUTING NJIT
The Highlanders come to Kennesaw with a 3-18 overall record and 1-5 mark in ASUN Conference play. NJIT ranks seventh in the ASUN in scoring (57.2) and eighth in scoring defense (73.5). The Highlanders are led by junior guard Tatianna Torres, who is averaging 12.0 points and 5.6 rebounds a contest.
 
SERIES VERSUS NJIT
Saturday's contest between Kennesaw State and NJIT will mark the sixth meeting between the two programs, with the Owls leading the all-time series, 5-0. The two teams met three times a year ago, including in the ASUN Conference quarterfinals where KSU posted a 62-60 home victory.
 
USC UPSTATE RECAP 
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla scored a game-high tying 15 points to lead Kennesaw State during a 65-61 loss at USC Upstate on Saturday. Freshman Kamiyah Street just missed her second straight double-double, scoring 14 points and adding a game-high nine rebounds, while senior Clara Young scored 14 points, collected a season-high six rebounds and dished out six assists for the Owls. KSU opened the game with an 8-0 run and led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter. However, the Spartans chipped away at the lead and trailed 28-27 at halftime. USC Upstate began the second half with a 9-0 run to take a 37-28 lead 2:16 into the third quarter. The Spartans outscored KSU 22-17 in the period to take a 49-45 advantage into the fourth quarter. 
 
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, currently leading the Owls with 16.5 points a game. She has led KSU in scoring nine times, reached double digits in 15 of 17 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 (2.7 per game). She is averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.26 steals a contest during ASUN Conference play. She tops the conference in assists and steals, and is third in points.
 
GIANOLLA SHINES
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla has returned to form following an injury. She has started 13 straight games and is second on the team with 10.3 points a game. She has reached double digits in 10 of her 13 starts while averaging 12.2 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 nine of her last 11 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 (231), ninth in steals (87) and sixth in games started (68). She scored a career-high 18 points versus Georgia State earlier this season.
 
POOLE PROGRESSING
Freshman forward Alexis Poole is making an impact on the Owls this season. The first-year player is averaging 9.2 points and 7.7 rebounds a game. She is fourth 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 11.5 points and 7.2 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. She is the reigning ASUN 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 Thursday's game, the Owls return to the KSU Convocation Center on Saturday to host NJIT at 2 p.m. It marks the annual Play4Kay Pink Out game.
 
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 -

Related Videos

Now Playing:

• Play Video