By: Matteen Zibanejadrad
Kennesaw State (5-10), (1-3)
at Lipscomb (7-10), (2-2)
Location: Nashville, Tenn. | Allen Arena
Date: Saturday, Jan. 22
Time: 12 p.m. EST
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Game Notes
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team ends a three-game road trip with a visit to Nashville, Tenn. to take on the Lipscomb Bisons for a Saturday matinée.
The Owls have split the two previous away matchups, winning their first in nearly two years at Stetson before suffering a loss to North Florida.
PERFECT PICCOLINO
Gillian Piccolino continues to shine in her return to the starting five, leading the team in rebounds, blocks and 3-point shooting over conference play.
Against the Ospreys, the Pennsylvanian netted double digits for the second game in a row and of the season.
With ASUN teams in the midst of conference play, Piccolino ranks second in conference play for defensive rebounds and has shot the seventh-most 3-pointers over those four games.
AMANI MAGIC
The Kennesaw State Owls entered a new era with the hire of head coach
Octavia Blue over the summer, but nothing has changed about the contributions of
Amani Johnson.
Over the squad's 15 games, the co-captain has only failed to net double-digit points in four of them.
In the Owls' loss to North Florida, Johnson led the team in points (12), assists (five) and steals (three).
The team has missed multiple players over the last few games, facilitating even more minutes for a woman who carries a reputation as a workhorse; Johnson averages 38.14 minutes per game, a proportion that only three players in Division I women's basketball have bettered this season.
SCOUTING LIPSCOMB
The Bisons standout statistically from the 3-point line and much of this is to do with their leading scorer, Blythe Pearson. The junior guard is 35-of-82 from beyond the arc, for a 42.7 3-point field goal percentage that is the 30th-best in the nation.
Lipscomb has had difficulties in forcing turnovers from their opponents, something the Owls have experienced success in. The Bisons rank in the bottom five percent of Division I women's basketball in steals per game and turnovers forced.
There's been a strange duality to the Nashville, Tenn. team's defense this season. They allow a 37.5 field-goal percentage against opponents, the third-best rate in the ASUN; however, they allow the ninth-most points in the conference at 66 points per game. This could be attributed to the Bisons' perimeter defense, which allows 36 percent shooting from 3-point range.
NEXT GAME
The Owls return home to the Convocation Center for the first game of a doubleheader against Jacksonville State on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m.; the men's team will play the second leg at 7:30 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.
