KENNESAW, Ga. - A double-double performance from senior
Carly Hooks propelled Kennesaw State (2-3) to a 57-43 victory over Florida Atlantic (3-2) Saturday inside the KSU Convocation Center.
The Black and Gold never trailed at any point in the contest en route to the team's seventh home victory in its last eight tries dating back to last season. This marks KSU's fourth 2-0 home start to a season in the last five.
Hooks collected a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the first Owl to record a double-double since
Lyndsey Whilby in March vs. Queens (14 points and 10 rebounds). This marked her third 20-or-more scoring game of her KSU career and first this season. It was her 14th double-digit scoring game and first-ever double-digit rebound game.
Right behind Hooks was fellow team captain
Prencis Harden who tallied 18 points and six boards of her own. The junior was 12-of-14 from the free throw line.
Kyndall Golden stood tall in the paint, tallying a career-high 10 rebounds against FAU to increase her season total to a team-best 29. She continued her 'Block Party,' adding two more to her now season-total of 10.
Kennesaw State recorded 18 points of forced turnovers as well as 13 second-chance points.
"It's what I expect of our team," head coach
Octavia Blue said postgame. "It was all about our defensive effort."
Hooks set the tone early for the Black and Gold, posting the game's first points on a three, attributing to a 10-point quarter for the Atlanta native.
The dominant start from Hooks added to an 18-2 advantage for KSU after the first period. She ended the half with 12 points and six rebounds. Saturday marked her 14th career double-digit scoring game.
KSU only allowed two FAU points in the first quarter, the fewest the Florida foe had posted in a single quarter this season.
Kennesaw State held FAU scoreless for 9:36 in the first half before the opposing Owls notched 15 in the second quarter to cut KSU's lead to 22-17.
Florida Atlantic scored the first point of the second half but was kept off the scoreboard for the next 4:32 while KSU responded with a 6-0 run.
Harden joined Hooks in the double-digit-point club in the third quarter. She now has two games this season in double-digit figures and nine in her Owl career.
A buzzer-beater by Hooks put a cap on the third quarter, giving KSU a 37-28 lead heading to the fourth. She would secure her double-double with 17.7 seconds remaining in the game.
Florida Atlantic cut the Black and Gold lead to five at the 7:55 in the fourth but Kennesaw State responded again, forcing five turnovers and keeping FAU scoreless for the next 4:24.
A 7-0 scoring run for the Owls increased the home team lead to 44-32.
FAU posted a late 7-0 run of their own but it was not enough as Kennesaw State captured a 57-43 victory, improving to 2-0 inside the Convocation Center this season and 18-12 under Blue.
Coach Blue is now 8-2 all-time (as a player and coach) against FAU while the Owls picked up their 79th victory over a team from Florida in program history.
The Black and Gold are back home inside the KSU Convocation Center on Wednesday, Nov. 29 for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off against Chattanooga. KSU students get in free and fans can purchase tickets
here.
