Tip:  7 p.m. (ET)
Watch | Live Stats
BROADCASTERS:
P-By-P: Tony Smith
Color: Lauren Cevis
Jacksonville Series Info: Jacksonville leads, 20-7
Last Meeting: 2018, Jacksonville, 67-49
Kennesaw State Game Notes

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• Kennesaw State (7-18, 3-11) opens ASUN Conference Championship play on Friday when it visits Jacksonville (22-7, 12-2) in a quarterfinal game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Swisher Gym and the game will available on ESPN3
• The Owls concluded the regular season seventh in the ASUN standings and received the No. 7 seed, while the Dolphins placed second and are the No. 2 seed.
• Kennesaw State and Jacksonville have met one previous time in the ASUN Championship, and the Dolphins posted a 55-54 quarterfinal victory in 2015.
• Thursday was a big day for four Owls as the ASUN announced its postseason awards. Kamiyah Street was named ASUN Freshman of the Year, second team all-conference and to the all-freshman team, while Alexis Poole was voted to the all-freshman team. Senior Clara Young and sophomore Carlotta Gianolla were selected to the all-academic team.
• Street has established herself as the premiere freshman in the ASUN Conference and one of the top rookies in the country. She earned ASUN Freshman of the Week honors five times, and was named Player and Newcomer of the Week. 
• Street ranks third in the country among freshmen in scoring average (16.4 ppg.), and seventh among freshmen and 65th overall in steals per game (2.4).
• Kennesaw State had three players finish ASUN play in double figures as Street led the Owls with 17.1 points a game, while Poole and Gianolla averaged 11.8 and 10.4 points, respectively.  
• The 2017-18 season marks Kennesaw State's 13th at the NCAA Division I level and the Owls are 140-239 (.369) 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 461-451 (.505).

TOP FLIGHT OWLS
Eight players - Simina Avram, Caroline Dan, Carlotta Gianolla, Alexandra Landby, Alexis Poole, Kamiyah Street, Iceis Walker and Clara Young - were recently recognized as Top Flight Owls as 3.0 students in the classroom. Avram, Gianolla and Landby were honored as Presidential Scholars for posting 4.0 GPAs.
 
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE
The Dolphins enter the ASUN Championship on a six-game winning streak that includes a 64-43 victory over North Florida to close out the regular season. Jacksonville ranks second in the conference in scoring (68.0) and first in scoring defense (58.0). The Dolphins are senior Kayla Gordon, who was named the ASUN's Defensive Player of the Year and garnered first team all-conference honors. She is averaging 12.0 points and 9.7 rebounds a contest.
 
SERIES VERSUS JACKSONVILLE
Friday's contest marks the 28th meeting between Jacksonville and Kennesaw State, with the Dolphins leading the all-time series, 20-7. Jacksonville has won the last 11 games in the series, with KSU's last win coming during the 2012-13 campaign when the Owls recorded a 57-51 victory in Kennesaw. The Dolphins posted an 67-49 victory in Kennesaw on Feb. 10.
 
LIPSCOMB RECAP
Alexis Poole and Kamiyah Street recorded double-doubles, and Clara Young scored in double figures to lead Kennesaw State during a 69-52 loss to Lipscomb on Saturday. Poole scored a game-high 19 points and collected 11 rebounds, while Street contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Owls. Young chipped in 14 points for KSU. After being outscored 22-8 in the first quarter, the Owls, behind the play of Poole, found their rhythm in the second quarter, using a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 24-40 with 4:10 remaining before the half, and moving within two at 25-23 with 2:44 left before the intermission. KSU outscored Lipscomb, 17-10, in the second quarter and trailed 32-25 at halftime. The Owls twice got the score within two points in the third quarter, but the Bisons went on a late run to take a 50-38 lead 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), while also being 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 16.4 points a game. She has led KSU in scoring 15 times, reached double digits in 23 of 25 contests and scored 20 or more points eight times. The Owls' rookie is third in the ASUN and leads all freshmen in scoring, and tops the conference in steals (2.4). She is averaging 17.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals a contest during ASUN Conference play. Street is third in the conference in points, tied for first in steals and second in assists.
 
GIANOLLA SHINES
Sophomore Carlotta Gianolla has returned to form following an injury. She has started 20 straight games and is third on the team with 9.9 points a game. She has reached double digits in 14 of her 20 starts. She tallied a season-high 19 points and nine rebounds in the Owls' win over Presbyterian on Nov. 21. The KSU sophomore has scored at least 10 points in 14 of her last 19 games.
 
YOUNG CLIMBING CAREER CHARTS
Clara Young has made the most of her opportunities during her three seasons as an Owl. She ranks second in Kennesaw State Division I history in assists (250), ninth in steals (102) and fifth in games started (75). She scored a career-high 18 points versus Georgia State earlier this season.
 
POOLE PROGRESSING
Freshman forward Alexis Poole has made an impact on the Owls this season. The first-year player is averaging 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds a game. She is sixth in the country among freshmen and fourth in the ASUN in rebounding. Her 18 boards against Middle Georgia State rank as the third-most in KSU Division I history. Poole is averaging 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in ASUN Conference play.
 
A WINNING FORMULA
In their seven wins, the Owls are averaging 68.4 points a game, shooting 42.6 percent from the field, and out-rebounding their opponent by an average of 9.3 boards a game. Freshman Kamiyah Street has sparked KSU, averaging 22.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 3.7 assists, while sophomore Carlotta Gianolla has contributed 12.6 points and 6.3 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
The winner of Friday's game advances to the semifinals to play either Stetson or North Florida on Wednesday, March 7 at 7 p.m.
 
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.

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.   

To learn more about The Owls Fund visit www.ksuowls.com/theowlsfund.
 

 
 

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