Score: Kennesaw State - 45, FAU - 63
Records: Kennesaw State (2-6, 0-0), Florida Atlantic (3-4, 0-0)
Key Players: Amani Johnson (19 pts, 6 rebs, 1 asst); Jah'Che Whitfield (9 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst)

THE STORYLINE
Amani Johnson's spectacular performance wasn't enough to put the KSU Owls on top, with the FAU Owls leaving the Convocation Center on Thursday night with a 63-45 win.

COACH OCTAVIA BLUE QUOTES
On the game…
"I saw us fighting. Boxing out has been our Achilles' Heel this season and we've allowed too many second-chance points. Hats off to FAU. They came in on a four-game losing streak and played like it. We've just got to find our toughness for 40 minutes." 

On the team's bounce-back ability…
"We're learning and we're going to get there. They're a veteran team and our kids are young. We're playing a lot of kids, trying to find answers in different places but at the same time, our veterans have got to be more reliable and not get in any early foul trouble. Hats off to Amani Johnson. She carried us for a while and she inspired us."

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was the Owls of Kennesaw State that jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to buckets from Jah'Che Whitfield and Alexis Poole; however, Florida Atlantic answered back with seven-straight points to take its first lead of the night.

KSU struggled to build on its early advantage and was outscored by FAU 17-7 in the first quarter, but a superior effort came in the second half. 

Yamani Paul opened the second quarter with an and-one layup play to cut the deficit to 17-10. 

Johnson continued the good vibes with a pullup jumper from beyond the arc, but Florida Atlantic always seemed to have a response to the Owls' made shots.

With 1:23 left in the half, Ashley Free made it a 26-18 game with the first 3-pointer of her KSU career. 

Johnson fought and fought in the second half and it paid off for the team co-captain, who recorded season highs in points, minutes played and field goals made. 

The SGA President's effort just wasn't enough though, and the FAU Owls closed out a 63-45 win. 

UP NEXT
The Owls play the second game of their three-game homestand against Furman on Monday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.

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.