Score: Kennesaw State 57, Liberty 63
Records: Kennesaw State (9-18, 5-11), Liberty (26-3, 14-2)
Key Players: Amani Johnson (17 pts, 2 assts, 1 stl); Prencis Harden (career-high 13 pts, 3 rebs, 1 blk); Jah'Che Whitfield (10 pts, 7 rebs); Stacie Jones (7 pts, 3 rebs, 3 blks)

THE STORYLINE
The Kennesaw State women's basketball team honored seniors Ashley Free, Jah'Che Whitfield, Amani Johnson and Ashley Free before a back-and-forth affair between the Owls and the Liberty Flames. Prencis Harden logged a career-high 13 points, as the Owls took the Lynchburg, Va. team to the final whistle; however, Kennesaw State fell just short of a statement win and lost out to Liberty 63-57 Saturday evening in the Convocation Center.

COACH OCTAVIA BLUE QUOTES
On the team's performance…
"We had a game plan. We know their bigs are very good. We sent two at them, we made them travel, we made them turn it over. I think it was a big defensive effort and our kids just followed through with the game plan. I love how we played."

On the play of Prencis Harden…
"She's growing up right in front of our eyes. This is a player that has a ton of talent and she just keeps getting better and better. You put her in action, she likes those big moments, and she shows up."

HOW IT HAPPENED
After the Flames got off to a hot 7-1 start, the Owls came roaring back to tie the game at 13 with an Amani Johnson trey.

The second quarter reflected the action of the first and Kennesaw State came back from a 12-point deficit with a 10-0 run, which Johnson scored six points of. 

The hosts began to make Liberty very uncomfortable in possession, and the no. 2 seed from the ASUN's East division would narrowly lead 34-31 at halftime. 

That discomfort would make its way into the second half, as Prencis Harden made life difficult for the Liberty defense. 

A 7-0 streak for the Owls at the end of the third quarter would see the black and gold take its first lead of the game at 46-44.

The fourth quarter brought the energy from the Convocation Center crowd to a boiling point, and the Owls on the court were a reflection of that energy.

Stacie Jones was consistently diving in the corners to save balls from going out, while Jah'Che Whitfield was leading her team in scoring in the fourth quarter in her return from injury. 

The game was tied once again at 50-50, but Liberty would reclaim the advantage and keep its distance for the remaining eight minutes. 

It was still nervy for the head coach Carey Green and the Flames, who didn't secure their 63-57 victory until the final minute. 

UP NEXT
The Owls are due for a rematch in the first round of the ASUN Conference Tournament, as they travel to Richmond, Ky. to take on Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, March 2 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.