Friday, December 13
7 p.m. ET  – Kennesaw State (0-8, 0-0) vs Gardner-Webb (3-6, 0-0)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Convocation Center
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game Notes: KSU

TOP STORYLINES
» The Kennesaw State men's basketball team closes out its brief homestand against Gardner-Webb Friday night in the annual Holiday Game. The Owls welcome the Runnin' Bulldogs, and Santa Claus, to the Convocation Center looking to finish what they started last season after narrowly dropping last year's game at GWU in overtime.

» The Owls are coming off one of their best games of the season this past Saturday as five Owls netted double-digits to record a season-high 81 points and push KSU within two points of a huge second half comeback. Tyler Hooker led the team with his first 20-point game of the season while logging eight rebounds, one shy of his career-high.

» Freshman Armani Harris had a monster game against the Panthers, recording KSU's first double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. The Covington, Ga., native currently leads the team and ranks seventh in the ASUN averaging 7.5 rebounds per game.

» After recording his third straight game in double-figures this past Saturday, Terrell Burden tied Tyler Hooker for the team lead, averaging 10.5 points per game. Both Burden and Hooker have hit double-digits in five of eight games this year with their current average placing them 15th in the conference.

» KSU has elevated its presence around the rim as of late, recording 40 or more rebounds in three of the last four games to push its season average up to 36.5 per game. That mark places the Owls in a three-way tie for third in the ASUN. Armani Harris (7.5) and Antonio Spencer (6.6) currently rank seventh and ninth, respectively, for rebounds per game.

» The Owls will be tested early and often with seven NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule, including four who made it to the second round of play. The 2019-20 slate also includes nine teams who finished last year in the top-100 RPI, six in the top-50, as well as 10 teams who won 20 or more games.

KEEPING IT 'MELO'
Freshman Armani 'Melo' Harris came alive in the second half of KSU's game against FIU, recording eight points and eight rebounds to earn the Owls' first double-double of the season with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

He has been a major factor for KSU so far this season, leading the team in rebounds (7.5 rpg) while ranked second for points (7.1 ppg) and assists (12). He is currently the only player on the team to average over five points and five rebounds per game.

He has recorded at least six rebounds in all but two games with his 15 against FIU marking the first time since January of 2017 an Owl has pulled down 15 or more boards. The Covington, Ga., native is currently ranked seventh in the ASUN for rebounds per game.

Harris has earned a starting role for the Owls, starting in the last three games for KSU to mark his first career starts.

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER
Tyler Hooker got back to his scoring ways against FIU, netting 20 points against the Panthers. He has netted double-figures in two straight games to bring his season average up to 10.5 points per game, good enough for 15th in the ASUN.

Hooker finished last season second in the ASUN averaging 19 points per game.

The Simpsonville, S.C., product reached 1,000 career points scored last season and needs just 100 more points this year to crack the KSU career top-10.

Off the ball, Hooker has been very productive this season as one of three Owls to record double-digit assists (10) while accounting for six steals and 31 rebounds.

One of the Owls most formidable free throw shooters, he is 27-of-32 at the line this season for an .844 shooting percentage at the stripe, a mark that ranks fifth in the ASUN. With 308 made free throws during his KSU career, Hooker is one of five Owls in DI history to make over 300 free throws, currently tied with Yonel Brown for third on the career record list.

SET THE TONE
Redshirt Sophomore Antonio "Tone" Spencer earned his first career start in the Owls' season-opener at Creighton and is the only Owl to start every game so far this season.

The Dallas, Texas native continues to elevate his game, scoring 12 points in the second half alone against FIU to record his first career double-figure game. Spencer also pulled down eight total rebounds, one shy of his career-high.

He currently ranks ninth in the conference averaging 6.6 rebounds per game

Spencer's team-high six blocks on the year places him in a tie for 11th in the league. He finished last season ranked second on the team and eighth in the ASUN with 27 total blocks.

Spencer has seen a lot more minutes already this year, averaging 20.9 minutes per game. Last season he recorded over 20 minutes only four times in 32 appearances, averaging 13.4 minutes per game in 2018-19. 

CARRYING THE BURDEN
Terrell Burden has made an instant impact on the court for KSU during his first season in an Owl uniform. The Smyrna, Ga., product has scored double-digits in four of the last five games, leading the team in scoring in three of those games.

Burden and Tyler Hooker are both averaging 10.5 points per game, tied for 15th in the ASUN. He has netted a career-high 15 points twice this year, once at Elon and again against FIU.

Burden leads the team with 14 assists while adding five steals.

UP-AND-COMING
The 2019-20 men's basketball roster is one of the youngest in recent history with 10 of 16 players either freshmen or sophomores. Of KSU's six upperclassmen, only Tyler Hooker and Bryson Lockley have played major minutes heading into the year.

Two of the Owls' most highly touted recruits, Armani Harris and Terrell Burden, enter the collegiate level coming off major prep careers and have already had a big impact, averaging over 20 minutes per game so far this season.

Harris, Burden and the Owls' final true freshman, Bobby Miller, have each earned at least one start already this season with Burden and Harris starting in the last three straight games.

Miller saw serious minutes at Mercer, recording six points, six rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes of action, all current highs for the Buford, Ga., native. 

LOOKING AHEAD
After closing out their homestand, the Owls get right back on the road for matchups at Murray State Monday (Dec. 16) and Belmont Wednesday (Dec. 18).

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