Score: Kennesaw State 61, Stetson 60
Records: Kennesaw State (5-9, 1-2), Stetson (8-9, 1-3)
Key Players: Gillian Piccolino (14 pts, 4-8 3FG, 10 rebs, 1 blk, 1 stl);
Jah'Che Whitfield (15 pts, 3 rebs);
Ashley Free (season-best 7 pts, 2 rebs);
Amani Johnson (6 pts, 9 assts, 4 rebs)
THE STORYLINE
Still missing a chunk of the squad,
Gillian Piccolino came up big for the Owls with a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double to secure a tight 61-60 win Saturday afternoon in DeLand, Fla. The result marks the Kennesaw State women's basketball team's first victory on the road since another win at Stetson on Feb. 15, 2020.
COACH OCTAVIA BLUE QUOTES
On the team's gutsy performance…
"It was all heart. Obviously we've been short in terms of depth. I think the players that we have, have stepped up. Like I told the young ladies in the locker room, it's been a pleasant sight to see
Gillian Piccolino get back to her old self."
On Piccolino's recent contributions…
"When you have a player like Gill [Piccolino] who has an ability to shoot the ball the way that she does, it's an asset to have her on the floor. I think the fact that she's a little more healthy at this point allows her to play more extended minutes. Whether we were short-staffed or not, she opens up our offense with her ability to stretch the defense."
On the roles of Johnson and Whitfield…
"Anytime you have Amani [Johnson] on the floor, she's always in the positive because when she's not scoring the ball herself, she's creating opportunities for her teammates with her assist-making.
Jah'Che Whitfield and
Bre'Lyn Snipes have been huge compliments to players like Amani and Alexis [Poole] and have played well within their own right. They're really helping us in getting some key wins this season."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ashley Free, who had her best game in black and gold on Saturday, got the scoring started for both teams with a jumper from the top of the key.
The Hatters would answer back immediately by taking a 4-2 lead, but 3-pointers from
Amaris Baker and Piccolino sparked a 10-0 run for the visitors.
Team co-captain
Amani Johnson logged three assists in the first quarter alone, facilitating the Owls to a 20-12 lead at the end of the period; Kennesaw State shot nine-for-17 from the field for 52.9 percent in the opening quarter.Â
Lockdown defense began to play a part for KSU, limiting Stetson to three-of-15 from the field in the second quarter.
Piccolino ignited another scoring streak for her team, this time a 6-0 spell that gave the Owls their biggest lead of the game at 31-17 with 2:15 left in the half.Â
Standing in for head coach Lynn Bria, assistant coach Shanasa Sanders had the hosts fired up coming out of the tunnel for the second half.
The Stetson squad would find itself within three points after the third quarter after holding Kennesaw State to three-for-11 from the field.
The final 10 minutes was a back-and-forth affair and it all started with a
Stacie Jones hook shot to make it 42-37.
Ending the night as the Owls' leading scorer,
Jah'Che Whitfield dealt a brutal blow to the Edmunds Center crowd with a trifecta to capture an eight-point lead.
Stetson would not go out without a fight and the Hatters had high hopes after a 5-0 series put them back within three.
Hitting her best run of play since her leg injury last season, Piccolino splashed two straight treys to knock Stetson back to a seven-point deficit.
No matter how much the Owls would fight to take an advantage, the Hatters made life uncomfortable for the visitors; with only three seconds left, Khamya McNeal hit a 3-point shot from the corner to cut the KSU advantage to just a single point.
The Owls were able to hang on, celebrating the squad's first road game in nearly two years in a post-game circle on the court.
UP NEXT
The Owls continue their road trip with a bus ride to Jacksonville, Fla. to take on North Florida Wednesday, Jan. 19 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.
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