Score: Kennesaw State 97, Life, 67
Records: Kennesaw State (3-0, 0-0), Life (2-5, 0-0)
Key Players: Gabi Legister (19 pts, 12 rebs), Gillian Piccolino (13 pts, 8 rebs, 4 blks, 3 stls), Breanna Hoover (15 pts, 3 assts, 5 three-pointers), Amani Johnson (12 pts, 7 assts, 3 rebs), Jah'Che Whitfield (10 pts, 3 rebs) and Yamani Paul (5 pts, 7 rebs).
THE STORYLINE
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team closed out their non-conference season in spectacular fashion, scoring a Division I program record 97 points as five Owls finished the game in double-figures to defeat Life University 97-67. Gabi Legister led the team recording her second double-double of the season with a career-high 19 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Bree Hoover also had her biggest game of the season, going 5-for-9 from beyond the arc to score 15 points.
COACH KHADIJA HEAD QUOTES
On the team's 3-0 record…
"It is a great feeling. My only regret is we're not 7-0. We had four games taken away from us, but the three that we had we took full advantage of it. We wasted no opportunity with these three games we did get to play in our non-conference schedule."
On the team's chemistry…
"The kids really enjoy each other. I think the synergy off the court is really translating well on the court. So proud of Breanna Hoover; she came in here and was a little shaky in her 3-point percentage. This is a kid I have great, great confidence in, and for her to finish 5-in-9 from the three. That's an awesome achievement in her last non-conference game as an Owl."
On the dominant play of Gabi Legister…
"I have a high bar for Gabi, and the reason I have a high bar for Gabi is Gabi allows me to have that bar so high for her. I think she's getting more confident with every minute, with every shot, with every rebound. I'm so proud of this kid. The growth we've seen in her both on and off the court, she deserves everything that's coming to her."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Owls established their dominance early, going up 7-0 to start the game thanks to an early 3-pointer from newly crowned ASUN Newcomer of the Week Jah'Che Whitfield. After a quick four points from the Running Eagles, the Owls went on a 13-2 run in the last seven minutes of the quarter to establish a 20-6 lead going into the second quarter.
Life University began to claw its way back in the second quarter, scoring consistently to get within six points of Kennesaw State. This is as close as the Running Eagles would get to overlapping the Owls, as Legister and Gillian Piccolino scored a combined 13 points going into halftime; the half would end 42-26 in favor of Kennesaw State.
Buckets would rain down for both teams in the third quarter, as the Owls and Running Eagles would score a combined 52 points. Hoover and Amani Johnson would go 3-for-4 from the 3-point line in the third quarter, with the team shooting 72 percent from the field.
Up by 24 points going into the fourth, Hoover would shoot two trifectas in the first minute; the senior guard went 3-for-4 in 3-point field goals in the quarter. Kennesaw State would spend the rest of the contest flirting with a 100-point performance, which they missed by three points.
NOTES
- Gillian Piccolino netted her first double-digit game of the year, recording 13 points
- Gabi Legister achieved her second double-double of the season, recording a career-high 19 points and 12 rebounds.
- Breanna Hoover tied her career-high with five made three-pointers.
- Amani Johnson recorded seven assists to mark her third straight game with seven or more dimes.
- Five players finished the game in double-figures for points.
- It's the fifth time in DI history that the Owls have scored more than 90 points.
UP NEXT
The Owls will enjoy their holiday break before kicking off ASUN play on the road at Jacksonville Saturday (Jan. 2) afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.
