Saturday, December 7
1 p.m. ET  – Kennesaw State (0-7, 0-0) vs FIU (6-3, 0-0)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Convocation Center
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game Notes: KSU

TOP STORYLINES
» The Kennesaw State men's basketball team is finally back on its home court Saturday, hosting FIU at 1 p.m. Saturday's game marks the first official home game of the 2019-20 season for KSU after spending the first seven games of the year on the road.

» Freshman Terrell Burden has been leading the way for the Owls as of late, scoring in double-figures in KSU's last two games. Burden netted a career-high 15 points at Elon. So far this year, he has scored double-digits in four of the first seven games to lead the squad with a 9.9 points per game average.

» The Owls recorded a season-high 42 rebounds in their recent game at Elon with nine players pulling down three or more boards, led by Armani Harris with seven. Harris, along with sophomore Antonio Spencer, has recorded at least five rebounds in all but one game this year. The duo of Harris and Spencer lead the team and rank tied for ninth in the conference averaging 6.4 rebounds per game.

» After finishing 6-of-7 from the charity stripe at UNCG, redshirt senior Tyler Hooker remains one of the top free throw shooters in the ASUN. So far this year he is 22-of-25 at the line for an .880 shooting percentage at the stripe, a mark that is good enough for second in the ASUN. With 303 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.

» Antonio Spencer has elevated his presence around the rim this year after finishing the 2018-19 season second on the team with 27 total blocks. The sophomore currently leads the team and ranks 10th in the ASUN with six blocks on the year so far.

» 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.

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 seven games this year, leading the team in scoring in three of those games.

Burden currently leads the team averaging 9.9 points per game, a mark that ranks 20th in the ASUN. He netted a career-high 15 points at Elon, shooting 50 percent from the floor while going 5-of-7 at the free throw line.

Burden also leads the team with 11 assists while ranked second with five steals.

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER
Tyler Hooker got back to his double-digit scoring ways at UNCG, netting 13 points against the Spartans. He is one of two players on the team to average over nine points per game (9.1).

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

One of the Owls most formidable free throw shooters, he is 22-of-25 at the line this season for an .880 shooting percentage at the stripe, a mark that is good enough for second in the ASUN. With 303 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.

The Simpsonville, S.C., product reached 1,000 career points scored last season and needs just 120 more points this year to crack the KSU career top-10. 

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 Harris starting in the last two 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. 

SETTING 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, recording a career-high seven points and nine rebounds in KSU's recent game against Iona.

He leads the team with six blocks on the year after tying his career-high with three at Drake. He finished last season ranked second on the team and eighth in the ASUN with 27 total blocks.

Spencer and freshman Armani Harris are currently tied for ninth in the ASUN with a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game average.

Spencer has seen a lot more minutes already this year, averaging 21.6 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.

KEEPING IT 'MELO'
Freshman Armani 'Melo' Harris has been a major burst of energy off the bench for KSU in the early portion of the season. He is the only Owl to average over five points (6.7) and five rebounds (6.4) per game this year.

He has recorded at least six rebounds in five of the last six games, pulling down a career-high nine against Iona. The Covington, Ga., native nearly earned KSU's first double-double of the year with 10 points and nine rebounds against the Gaels, both career-high marks.

He is currently tied with teammate Antonio Spencer for ninth in the ASUN for rebounds per game. He is also tied with Tyler Hooker for second on the team with nine assists. Harris is currently shooting a team-high 45.7 percent from the floor.  

ROAD WARRIORS
The Owls will play 18 of their 11 games on the road this year. With only four home non-conference games the Owls will get their travel legs under them right away before hitting league play.

KSU will travel a long and difficult road before ASUN play 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.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following finals week, the Owls close out their two-game homestand against Gardner-Webb Friday (Dec. 13) at 7 p.m.

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