KENNESAW, Ga. - A season-best in points scored and record-setting fewest points allowed saw Kennesaw State (3-4) soar past Coastal Georgia (5-6), 82-25, Saturday inside the KSU Convocation Center.
25 points from the Mariners set a new single-game record for the fewest points allowed in a single game in the 42-season history of KSU women's basketball.
Junior
Prencis Harden led the charge for Kennesaw State with 25 points in 22 minutes of play, shooting 10-for-16 with five rebounds, two assists and three steals.
The victory secured the second-consecutive 3-1 start to the home schedule for the Black and Gold and their third win this season over a team with a .500 or better record.
Saturday was the sixth consecutive game that the Owls held their opponent to that team's season-low point total.
Senior
Kyndall Golden increased her lead on the 2023-24 Atlantic Sun season blocks total, adding three more for 16 this season.
The stingy Owl defense forced a season-high 39 turnovers against the in-state foe, besting the previous mark of 23 against Life on Nov. 10. KSU drained 45 points off turnovers Saturday afternoon.
Head coach
Octavia Blue became the fastest KSU head coach in the Owls' Division I history to reach 27 wins, besting the previous mark by 12 games. She also became the fastest KSU Divison I head coach to achieve 19 home victories, doing so in 32 home contests.
Saturday marked the second time in the last three games where Kennesaw State did not trail at any point in the contest. The other game without facing a deficit was Nov. 25 in a 53-47 win over Florida Atlantic.
KSU has now won seven of its last nine games on home court dating back to last season.
Six points from junior guard
Morgan Dillard in the first two minutes pushed KSU out to an early 8-0 lead. She went 3-for-3 in the first 10 minutes. Harden accounted for a team-best seven points in the opening frame.
Coastal's scoring drought to open the contest extended all the way to 3:56 remaining in the first period before notching two free throws but the Owls had a 16-2 advantage.
The Mariners' first made field goal came with 2:16 remaining in the quarter.
KSU's 22 first-quarter points were its most in a single quarter this season. 15 of the 22 came off the 13 turnovers forced by the defense.
The second quarter was more of the same from the Owls defense, once again forcing a Coastal Georgia scoring drought that accounted for a majority of the period (7:37).
Harden picked up her 10th collegiate double-digit scoring game in the second period after adding on four more points for Kennesaw State.
A three-pointer from junior
Taylor Cullinan put a fitting end on the first half with 0:47 left, allowing KSU to take a 35-9 lead into the break.
Nine first half points were the fewest allowed during Blue's tenure with KSU.
The Owls shot 42.4% from the floor in the first 20 minutes while allowing only two made Coastal field goals on 16 tries.
The Black and Gold forced eight more turnovers to tally 21 in the half. KSU forced 15 Wednesday vs. Chattanooga.
Coastal scored the first points of the second half but only managed three before the Owls stormed away with a 13-2 run to extend the advantage to 48-14. A big interception and and-one from Harden secured her second collegiate 20-point game.
The Mariners managed only eight points in the third frame but was their most a single quarter Saturday, along with the fourth quarter.
Another and-one play for Harden at the 3:13 mark in the third gave the junior her career-high 25 point total.
A 23-2 run over a six-minute span led by key offensive moments extended the Owl lead to 62-17 headed into the fourth, tying the team's single-game high for points.
KSU's season-best 22-point first quarter was upstaged by the 28-point third quarter. The Owls went on a 14-1 run in the final 4:02 of the third.
The scoring continued into the final frame on a three from
Sophia Rueppell, extending her 2023-24 team lead to eight. Rueppell finished second on the team with 11 points, the second double-digit-scoring game of the season for the freshman.
Kennesaw State once again forced a Mariner scoring drought that accounted for a majority of the quarter in the fourth, with Coastal not making a basket until 3:06 left in the game.
Coastal Georgia managed only eight points for the second-straight quarter while the Owls cruised to an 82-25 victory.
Kennesaw State has eight days off before returning to the court on Monday, Dec. 11 for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off at No. 21 Mississippi State on SEC Network Plus.
KSU returns home on Sunday, Dec. 17 against Belmont for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off on ESPN+. Fans can purchase tickets
here.
