Friday, Feb. 19
8:00 p.m. ET  – Kennesaw State (4-16, 1-11) at Lipscomb (13-10, 7-5)
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 20
8:00 p.m. ET  – Kennesaw State (4-16, 1-11) at Lipscomb (13-10, 7-5)
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats

Location: Allen Arena | Nashville, Tenn.
Game Notes: KSU

TOP STORYLINES
» The Kennesaw State men's basketball team is scheduled to close out the regular season in Nashville this weekend squaring off with Lipscomb Friday and Saturday night. KSU is coming off its first ASUN win in nearly two years after downing Stetson 83-75 during the Owls' home finale this last Saturday. The win marked the first league victory for Head Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, snapping a 27-game conference losing streak.

» Spencer Rodgers was the driving force behind KSU's win, leading all players with 27 points, his eighth game this season with 20 or more points. Rodgers drained five three-pointers in the game, his third straight game with five or more triples. He is currently ranked second in the conference averaging 17 points per game and fourth for three-pointers per game averaging 2.9. Rodgers' 42.9 three-point shooting percentage currently ranks 22nd in the country.

» Chris Youngblood has been a big piece to the Owls' offense in his first season at KSU averaging 12.1 points per game. Youngblood is currently ranked second on the team and 17th in the ASUN for scoring. He is the only true freshman to rank in the league's top-25 for scoring and is one of 20 players in the league to net over 200 points on the year. Youngblood has netted at least one three-pointer in all but two games, three or more treys in eight games this year, to rank 11th in the ASUN averaging 1.9 treys per game.

» Despite playing fewer games than a normal scheduled season, the Owls three-point shooting is one of the best in DI history. As a team, KSU is averaging 7.2 treys per game which if maintained would rank second in DI history. KSU's 32.1 shooting percentage from beyond the arc currently ranks seventh in DI single-season history. Spencer Rodgers and Chris Youngblood have combined for 96 of KSU's 144 total three-pointers.

» The Owls record this season only tells part of the story with KSU holding opponents to 70 points or less in 11 of its 20 games. The Owls have a -4.0 scoring margin on the year, a vast improvement from its -20 scoring margin a year ago. If maintained, that scoring margin would rank third in KSU Division single-season history. Defensively, the Owls rank third in the league for rebounding defense (33.9) and three-point defense (31.3 percent).

RODGER THAT
Junior transfer Spencer Rodgers has been an offensive force for the Black and Gold, netting double-figures in all but one game, 20 or more in eight games, including a career-high 31 points in KSU's road trip to Liberty.

The Lawrenceville, Ga., native currently ranks second in the league for scoring and is one of four players to record over 300 points on the year. Rodgers is currently averaging 17.0 points per game and is one of four players in the league to average 15 or more points per game. His 340 total points scored currently ranks 65th in the NCAA.

Deadly from range, Rodgers' 57 made three-pointers is the third most by any player in the league and ranks 30th in the NCAA. He currently ranks third in the ASUN, 34th in the NCAA, averaging 2.9 three-pointers per game. He has made five or more triples in the last three straight games and three or more in five of the last six games.

Although he most likely won't break the single-season top-10 for total three-pointers due to the shortened season, Rodgers would break the all-time record for three-pointers per game.

Off the ball, Rodgers is just as productive, ranked third on the team averaging 3.5 rebounds per game. Rodgers is also second on the team for total assists (38) while leading the team in steals (20).

THE THREE MUSKETEERS
The highly touted Georgia trio of Chris Youngblood, Brandon Stroud and Kasen Jennings have certainly lived up to the hype this year. The trio have combined to record over a third of KSU's total points scored.

Youngblood has hit double-figures in 13 games, recording a career-high 24 points against Dalton State. He ranks 17th in the ASUN for scoring averaging 12.1 points per game. Youngblood is the only true freshman to rank among the league's top-25 scorers. He is also one of 20 players to record at least 200 points on the year (242).

The Sharpsburg, Ga., native made a major impact in his debut almost instantly, draining three straight three-pointers in just over a minute and a half after hitting the floor. He led the team with 17 points in just 15 minutes of action against Carver, recording five total three-pointers. Youngblood has netted three or more treys in eight games this season, averaging 1.9 per game to rank 11th in the ASUN.

Youngblood is one of six players on the team to record double-digit steals (15), while leading the team in blocks (12) and ranked third for assists (35).

East Coweta teammate Stroud has continued to up his game over the course of the season ranked second on the team averaging 5.2 rebounds per game. Offensively he is averaging 5.7 points per game having netted double-figures in four games including the team's only double-double of the year against Samford with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Stroud is also second on the team with 18 steals while dishing out 26 assists.

After a stellar start to his freshman season, crosstown rival turned teammate Jennings has returned to form after being sidelined for three games due to concussion protocols. Despite that gap, he is still one of the team leaders with 16 steals and 27 assists.

Jennings has hit double-digits five times this year, netting a career-high 17 points in KSU's most recent game against Stetson. He is currently averaging 5.5 points per game. Jennings has had at least one steal and one assist in seven of the last 11 games.

CHALLENGING EVERY SHOT
The Owls have held opponents to 70 points or less 11 times so far this season, including season-lows for Belmont and Samford. Both the Bruins and Bulldogs were averaging over 80 points per game before squaring off with KSU. Comparatively, the Owls held opponents to less than 70 points only six times in 2019-20.

As a team, the Owls are holding opponents to an average of 69.3 points per game. If maintained, KSU's current -4.0 scoring margin would rank third in the DI single-season record books. The Owls' 45.4 field goal percentage defense would also rank as the third-lowest in DI single-season history.

Six Owls have recorded at least 10 steals on the year. Spencer Rodgers (12th), Brandon Stroud (17th) and Terrell Burden (19th) all rank among the league's top-20 for total swipes.

Chris Youngblood ranks ninth in the conference for total blocks with 12 on the year while Cole LaRue ranks 14th with 10 stuffs.

UP NEXT
Following this weekend, barring any changes from the ASUN, the Owls are scheduled to be off for the final weekend of the regular season. KSU will then look towards the ASUN Tournament play-in game Wednesday, Mar. 3.
 

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