By: Matteen Zibanejadrad
Saturday, Jan. 9
2:00 p.m. ET – Kennesaw State (3-2, 0-2) vs. Liberty (6-3, 2-0)
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Sunday, Jan. 10
2:00 p.m. ET – Kennesaw State (3-2, 0-2) vs. Liberty (6-3, 2-0)
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Tickets: https://bit.ly/3f3SLU1
Game Notes: KSU
TOP STORYLINES
» The Kennesaw State women's basketball team plays Liberty this weekend in its first home games in the conference this season. To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, the conference has adopted a single-site format with two teams playing each other in two games over two days. The Owls were originally slated to play North Florida, but that series has been indefinitely postponed due to COVID-19 test results around the conference.
» The Owls are offering fans a chance to help out their community with a cold-weather clothing drive. Fans can bring beanies, gloves, mittens, coats and jackets to donate this weekend and will receive a free KSU t-shirt in return.
» After a stellar start to the season, the Owls dropped both games in their opening series of conference play against the North Alabama Lions last weekend. KSU will feel motivated to get back in the win column against a Liberty team that the Owls haven't had much luck against. The last meeting between the two teams was a high-scoring affair in the first round of the ASUN Conference Tournament, where Amani Johnson scored a program-record 45 points in a 91-86 losing effort against the Flames.
» KSU was led by the exceptional performance of Jah'Che Whitfield against North Alabama. The redshirt junior led the team in scoring over both games scoring 13 points in the first game and following that performance with 17 points the next day. Her nine rebounds in the second game almost captured the transfer from Winthrop University her third double-double of the season.
» The Owls boast the ninth-best rate of offensive rebounds per game in the nation, an integral part of how KSU operates its offense. Offensive boards grabbed by players like Gabi Legister, who's placed 25th in Division I basketball for offensive rebounds, generate the many second-chance points produced by the team.
FEELING FRESH
The play of the Owls' freshmen has been impressive all season, as Interim Head Coach Khadija Head has placed her full faith in her rookies. No one has reflected that faith more than Stacie Jones, who played 62 minutes over two games against North Alabama.
Jones rewarded the trust of her coach with the freshman's first-ever double-double in Sunday's game, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 boards. Her first game was nothing to shrug at either, with the Kethleen, Ga. native scoring 10 points, securing 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The stirring exhibition of KSU's first-year players doesn't end at Jones, with Yamani Paul and Julia Rodriguez putting in the work to help their team win. Paul had a breakout performance in the Sunday game against North Alabama, scoring a career-high 12 points; she also tied her highest tally for rebounds, grabbing seven.
Rodriguez has been a jolt of electricity off the bench, never being afraid to rush the net and make a play. Her point tallies over the weekend combine for a sum of 16 points, the third-highest amount among her teammates.
MS. 300
Junior and Owls' co-captain Amani Johnson currently sits on 286 assists in her college career. Johnson is schedule to eclipse the 300-mark soon, as her 6.2 assist-per-game rate coronates her as the queen of assists in the ASUN.
The Owls' offense runs through Johnson's play from the point and the Pennsylvania native has a real test set out for her this weekend. Liberty sport the second-best defense in the ASUN, with the Lynchburg, Va. team allowing a meager 64.2 points per game.
Kennesaw State don't find themselves far behind, with the Owls' opponents scoring an average of 65.6 points per game. This scoring rate is owed in large part to Johnson's ASUN-leading 2.8 steals per game. Johnson also finds herself seven steals away from her 150th career steal.
UP NEXT
The Owls are currently scheduled to return to North Alabama's Flowers Hall next weekend, with games set to be played on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. EST and Sunday, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. EST; however, the schedule is subject to change with KSU already playing the Lions last weekend.
