Box Score | Game Highlights

Score: Kennesaw State 63, North Florida 73
Records: Kennesaw State (4-5, 0-5), North Florida (6-6, 4-1)
Key Players: Amani Johnson (10 pts, 7 assts, 5 stls), Jah'Che Whitfield (12 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assts), Gabi Legister (6 pts, 12 rebs), Gillian Piccolino (11 pts, 4 rebs) and Stacie Jones (8 pts, 5 rebs)

THE STORYLINE
Amani Johnson had a night of multiple career-milestones, breaking the 300-mark in dimes and the 150-mark in steals as the Owls fought to snatch their first ASUN win from the Ospreys' grip. KSU tied UNF with 4:41 to go in the game at 56-56, but the Ospreys used their experience to close out the game and win 73-63.

COACH KHADIJA HEAD QUOTES:
On the team's performance…
"Very proud of the effort our kids displayed today. North Florida is a good team. We got down early and we were able to make defensive and offensive adjustments. I think our kids executed well in time and score; we were able to get quick, timely buckets. 

On the team's standout performers…
"I thought Gillian Piccolino did a great job coming in today, off the bench contributing 11 points and her three 3's were big. I look at Jah'Che Whitfield; she's a kid that we depend on. She came in and registered 12 points and she shot 45% from the field. It was great to see her out there and be aggressive both offensively and defensively. You look at our floor general Amani Johnson. 10 points and what's big about those 10 points, she also got seven assists and when you look at her assists, they contributed to a lot of 3-pointers. That's a big factor for us and for her to lead us in steals with five steals as well. Very impressed with Gabi Legister. I think she got some great looks at the basket and to go 4-6 from the free-throw line and then also to contribute 12 rebounds. 

On the battle between the two teams…
"This was a great, great, competitive game for us. We were able to tie it up and apply some great defensive pressure to force our opponent into 21 turnovers and then convert those 21 turnovers into 22 points. We're a scrappy team. I think we pivoted well. We came out with a defensive game plan and you know, it wasn't to our success today and the kids were able to adjust and commit to our new defensive gameplans. We've got length. We've got athleticism. I'm proud of our heart and effort today. Excited to play again tomorrow. Saturdays have been our tough days and you know, we perform better on Sunday and tomorrow's Sunday. So I'm excited to see what this Sunday holds for us."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Ospreys showed how tough they were going to be at the beginning of the game, outscoring the home team 10-2 until Interim Head Coach Khadija Head called a timeout with 7:23 to go in the first. 

The Owls began to find their feet with Gabi Legister scoring a jumper and assisting Jah'Che Whitfield's 3-pointer to pull the Owls within 10 at 16-7.

Although she hasn't seen many minutes this season, freshman Bre'Lyn Snipes showed her worth in the first quarter with a made jumper; Snipes made a driving layup less than a minute later, scoring the shot and drawing a foul for a successful and-one to end the first with the Owls down 20-12. 

Snipes started where she left off a minute into the second quarter, with Amani Johnson assisting another driving layup from the Columbus, Ga. native to cut the Osprey's lead to 20-14. 

UNF would go on a quick 6-0 run that was ended by a Whitfield pull-up jumper. 

With 3:01 to go in the half, Johnson found Jones in the paint for an open layup and her 300th assist in her stellar college career. With her seven assists against UNF, Johnson currently sits on 303 dimes. The Owls' captain is 27 assists away from being the best playmaker in KSU women's basketball history with the title currently being held by Kristina Wells.

The halftime whistle would blow with the Owls down 34-27, being led by Snipes' 7 points and Johnson's four assists. Johnson and Jones contributed four steals between them, forcing the Ospreys into 11 turnovers. KSU outscored UNF 15-14 in the second quarter. 

The best quarter for the Owls would be the third and Julia Rodriguez opened up the half with a trifecta in the first start of the freshman's budding career. Rodriguez led KSU in scoring in the third quarter, shooting seven points off two field goals and two free throws. When the freshman drew a foul and shot two successful free throws to make the score 45-41 with 3:02 left in the third, it felt like a turning point for the team in gold and white. 

With 1:37 left to go, Johnson made two jumpers in 22 seconds to bring the Owls within two at 47-45. The Ospreys would keep a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter with UNF winning 48-46. UNF failed to score a field goal in the last 5:07 of the third quarter.

The tension was palpable in the Convocation Center as the final period got started. Although the Ospreys made a fast-break layup off of a defensive rebound, the Owl fans exploded when Gillian Piccolino made a basket from beyond the arc to make the score 50-49 UNF.

The noise was even louder when Piccolino shot another three to tie the game with 6:09 to go in the contest. 

However, tying the game up was as close as the Owls would come, as the Ospreys played smart basketball to end the game. Using their size and experience for the remainder of the game, the final whistle would blow with UNF winning 73-63.

NOTES:
- Amani Johnson passes her 300^th assist which ranks her 2^nd all time in KSU D1 history.

- Jah'Che Whitfield leads KSU with 12 points.

- Johnson with 10 points and 7 assists on the night.

- Johnson, Piccolino, and Whitfield all with double digit nights.

- KSU shot 35% from FG and 24% from 3FG.

- KSU forced UNF into 21 turnovers.

- KSU outrebounded 48-34.

- Gabi Legister ties career high in rebound with 12.

- Bre'Lyn Snipes breaks career high in both points and rebounds with 7 points and 4 rebounds.

- KSU led in bench points with 26 on the night. Piccolino with 11 points off of the bench.

- UNF outscored KSU 25 to 17 in the 4^th Quarter to pull away late. 

UP NEXT
The Owls will look to even up the series against the Ospreys tomorrow afternoon in the Convocation Center at 2 p.m. EST.