Score: Kennesaw State 59, Liberty 76
Records: Kennesaw State (3-3, 0-3), Liberty (7-3, 3-0)
Key Players:
Amani Johnson (15 pts, 3 rebs, 2 assts), Gabi Legister (11 pts, 4 rebs), Stacie Jones (8 pts, 6 rebs), Jodi Mullins (7 pts, 1 reb, 1 assts)
THE STORYLINE
The Owls started their home campaign in the ASUN against a strong Liberty team. The Flames kept KSU at bay for the duration of the game, despite Amani Johnson's season-high 15 points in the 76-59 loss.
COACH KHADIJA HEAD QUOTES
On tonight's game…
"Another hard fought game against an ASUN opponent. Today we were able to execute from the free throw line. It's been an Achilles Heel for us this season and the players really stepped up to the challenge. Our players showed a lot of fight in the second half, shooting 50% from the field and 100% from the free throw line. We are a team that's still getting to know each other and today a different set of competitors performed today."
On the game's top performers…
"It was great to see Amani be aggressive with the ball, attacking the rim with sheer determination to score. She did a great job of drawing contact and stepping up to finish the play at the free throw line, going six-for-six. Gabi Legister continues to impress in the box and displayed confidence at the free throw line, as she went five-for-five. Stacie Jones and Jodi Mullins provided great energy off the bench, each contributing in a method that suits them well. Points and rebounds for Stacie Jones, and Jodi's ability to create scoring opportunities. We look forward to the opportunity tomorrow to build off of our third quarter performance."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Liberty set the tone early with a blazing 15-0 run to start the game. The Flames' high-pressure defense made it tough for the Owls to find the final pass, with KSU turning the ball over eight times in the first quarter.
Jodi Mullins came off the bench to score the first points for KSU with the freshman shifting toward the net with a great piece of ball handling.
The Owls started to find their rhythm toward the end of the first, successfully shooting four straight field goals to bring the scoreline to 20-10 in favor of Liberty. The quarter would end with the Flames leading 22-12.
Liberty would spend most of the quarter defending intelligently while the Owls tried to find an answer. The energy on the court changed when Gabi Legister got fouled while making a layup; the sophomore swished the following free throw to make the score 38-18 Flames.
The Owls would score four straight points after Legister's play to end the half down 38-22.
The momentum from the end of the half would carry KSU into the third with the Owls scoring six straight points thanks to Amani Johnson and Breanna Hoover. Johnson continued to find ways to the basket and the Pennsylvania native made a pull-up jumper with 2:44 left in the quarter to bring the Owls within 14; the basket that put the scoreline at 50-36 also made Johnson the first Owl to score double-digits.
KSU would find itself down 58-42 at the beginning of the fourth quarter and Liberty did its best to keep the Owls' deficit where it was. With five minutes left in the game, the Owls would go on a 7-0 run. Liberty would cap their night with one last jumper with 19 seconds to go and the final whistle would blow subsequently with the Flames winning 76-59.
NOTES
- The team was nearly perfect on free throws, shooting 18-of-19 from the line. Liberty was only two-of-six from free throws.
- Freshman Jodi Mullins would tie her season-high tally, scoring seven points.
- Freshman Bre'Lyn Snipes would tie her season-high in rebounds with two, also blocking a personal-best two shots.
- Stacie Jones once again led the Owls in rebounds with six, the third time the freshman has done so in as many conference games.
UP NEXT
The Owls get a chance to even the series against Liberty tomorrow at 2 p.m. EST in the Convocation Center.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsWBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
