Saturday, December 19
4:30 p.m. ET  – Kennesaw State (3-3, 0-0) vs Samford (2-3, 0-0)
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Game Notes: KSU | Samford

TOP STORYLINES
» The Kennesaw State men's basketball team opens a four-game homestand Saturday afternoon, hosting Samford at 4:30 p.m. ET in its annual Armed Forces and First Responders Appreciation Night. Saturday's showdown marks the rubber match between the two squads with each program recording two wins over one another. The home team has had the upper hand in the past withe the host squad walking away with a win each time.

» Spencer Rodgers kept his double-digit scoring streak alive Wednesday night, netting a team-high 20 points against Belmont. It marked the second straight game, third of the season, that the junior transfer has recorded 20 or more points. He currently ranks second in the ASUN averaging 17 points per game making him one of six players in the league to average 15 or more points throughout the early part of the season.

» Spencer Rodgers and Chris Youngblood combined to record six of KSU's seven three-pointers Wednesday night. With 17 three-pointers each, Rodgers and Youngblood are tied for sixth in the conference for made three-pointers. As a team the Owls rank third in the league averaging 8.5 three-pointers per game. KSU is one of five teams with 50 or more made treys so far this year with at least two games in hand on the other four teams.

» After holding a hot-shooting Belmont squad to 64 points, KSU remains one of the top defensive teams in the league. KSU has held four opponents to less than 70 points to rank second in the ASUN with a 62.7 points against per game average. The Owls also rank second in the conference for both rebounds (39.3) and blocks (3.3) per game. KSU is one of three teams in the ASUN to average seven or more steals per game. Kasen Jennings, Spencer Rodgers and Brandon Stroud all rank among the league-s top-10 for total steals while Cole LaRue is tied for fourth among the league's shot blockers with six blocks to his name.

» Freshman Chris Youngblood has been tearing it up in his first games as an Owl, currently ranked second on the team averaging 14.2 points per game. He currently ranks eighth in the ASUN and is the only true freshman to rank in the league's top-20 for scoring. He has hit at least three three-pointers in all but two games this year, placing him fourth in the ASUN averaging 2.8 treys per game.

JOLLY RODGERS
Junior transfer Spencer Rodgers has been an offensive force for the Black and Gold, netting double-figures in every game so far while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native ranks second in the league for scoring and is one of five players in the league to net over 100 points with at least two games in hand on the rest of the top-15. He is one of 15 players in the ASUN to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor.

Rodgers is averaging 17.0 points per game, recording a season-high 21 points against Toccoa Falls and Dalton State. He finished 7-for-8 against Toccoa Falls, 6-for-7 from three-point range, while not missing a shot until two minutes into the second half. He has netted 20 or more points in back-to-back games heading into Saturday's contest and three times overall this season.

Rodgers' 17 made three-pointers currently puts him in a tie for sixth in the conference alongside teammate Chris Youngblood.

Off the ball, Rodgers has steadily improved his game recording five or more rebounds in the last four straight games. He has tied his career-high with seven boards in back-to-back games to bring his per game average up to five rebounds, the second best on the team. Rodgers is also second on the team for both total assists (13) and steals (7).

THE THREE MUSKETEERS
The highly touted Georgia trio of Chris Youngblood, Brandon Stroud and Kasen Jennings have certainly lived up to the hype in the early part of the year. Youngblood and Stroud are second and third, respectively, on the team for scoring with the trio combining to record over a third of KSU's total points scored. 

Youngblood made a major impact in his debut almost instantly, draining three straight three-pointers in just over a minute and a half after hitting the floor. He led the team with 17 points in just 15 minutes of action against Carver and hasn't slowed down since. The Sharpsburg, Ga., native has hit double-figures in five of six games, recording a career-high 24 points against Dalton State.

Youngblood ranks eighth in the ASUN for scoring averaging 14.2 points per game. He is the only true freshman to rank among the league's top-20 scorers. A sharpshooter from beyond the arc, Youngblood has netted three or more treys in all but two games this year, ranking him sixth in the league with 17 made three-pointers on the year.

East Coweta teammate Stroud had a slow start in KSU's season-opener, netting just three points on 1-of-6 shooting, but was big off the ball with four rebounds, three steals and two assists. He has continued to up his game, recording 10 points against Toccoa Falls, going 4-for-5 from the floor, while adding another four rebounds and two assists. 

Stroud is third on the team with 37 total points scored despite averaging only 18.5 minutes per game. He is also second on the team with seven steals while being one of three Owls to pull down at least 20 rebounds.

Crosstown rival turned teammate Jennings holds the team lead and ranks seventh in the ASUN with eight steals despite being sidelined for the last two games. He is one of three players in the conference to average at least two steals per game.

Jennings has hit double-digits in two games this year to average 7.0 points per game. He is one of four Owls, including Terrell Burden, Spencer Rodgers and Youngblood, with at least 10 assists (11) on the season. He pulled down a team and career-high seven rebounds at UAB and is one of four Owls to average at least four rebounds per game (4.3).

BRING YOUR UMBRELLAS
The Owls have made it rain in the Convocation Center and from beyond the arc throughout the early part of the year. The Owls are shooting an average of over 50 percent on their home floor with 36 made three-pointers. 

KSU has shot over 50 percent from the floor twice this season, a feat only accomplished one other time over the previous two seasons.

The Owls' 51 three-pointers over the first six games is already more than the first 12 games combined of the 2019-20 season. Both Chris Youngblood and Spencer Rodgers are tied for sixth in the ASUN with 17 made three-pointers each on the year. They are two of 15 players in the league to net at least 10 treys so far this season.

Rodgers is also one of 15 players in the ASUN to shoot 50 percent or better so far this season, ranked 14th in the league with a 50.0 shooting percentage.

KSU drained a Division I program record 18 three-pointers in its win over Toccoa Falls with six Owls netting two or more treys. Rodgers led the way going 6-for-7 from beyond the arc, 5-for-5 in the first half alone, putting him one triple shy of tying the single-game record. 

The game against Toccoa Falls also set DI records for points scored (106) and winning margin (62). The Owls' 106 points scored marked only the fourth time since moving to Division I that KSU has hit the century mark and the first time since the 2016 season.

ON LOCK
The Owls held a hot-shooting Belmont squad to a season-low 64 points this past Wednesday. Heading into the game, the Bruins were averaging 81 points per game. The game marked the fourth time this year KSU has held its opponent to less than 70 points, a feat only accomplished six times last season.

As a team, the Owls are holding opponents to an average of 62.7 points per game, the second-lowest average in the ASUN. KSU also ranks second in the league holding opponents to a 41.2 shooting percentage.

The Owls rank among the league's top-three for rebounds (2nd), steals (3rd) and blocks (2nd). Four Owls have recorded at least five steals on the year as Kasen Jennings (T-7th), Spencer Rodgers (T-10th) and Brandon Stroud (T-10th) all rank among the league's top-10 for total swipes.

UP NEXT
After Saturday's game, KSU closes out non-conference play hosting in-state foe Mercer Tuesday (Dec. 22) at 2 p.m. ET.

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