KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State (4-8) closed 2023 battling with the Big East Conference's Georgetown Hoyas (10-2) but were unable to topple the Power Six foe in a hard-fought 57-55 defeat inside the KSU Convocation Center Thursday night.
Atlantic Sun Player of the Week
Prencis Harden led the charge once again for the Black and Gold with her second double-double in three games, tallying 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Thursday marked Harden's fifth-straight game in double figures and her seventh in the last eight.
Morgan Dillard and Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Week
Trynce Taylor also entered double digits with 10 and 12 points, respectively.
The Hoyas entered Thursday with a NET ranking of 78, the highest of any opponent KSU has faced at home this season. KSU's 55 points were above the average points allowed the Hoyas had posted coming into the game (47.5).
Kennesaw State closes out 2023 tied for the most single-calendar year wins in program Division I history with 15, matching the mark from 2008.
Dillard got the scoring started in the Owls' 12th game of the season. Dillard broke a 4-4 tie a couple minutes later with her second basket.
Harden was responsible for five of KSU's first nine points, all coming before the first media timeout at 4:32. The junior also had three rebounds by that mark.
The Owls trailed 17-13 at the end of the first 10 minutes.
Dillard also scored the first KSU points of the second quarter.
The two squads went back-and-forth exchanging field goals before
Carly Hooks drove down the court and retook the lead for Kennesaw State with 5:41 left in the half, 25-24.
A Hoya scoring drought of 2:29 brought on by the Owl defense also contributed to the lead change.
Georgetown swiped the lead back but it was short-lived after a drive into the paint from
Trynce Taylor.
A late run from the Big East opponent pushed the halftime deficit to 34-28. There were five lead changes between the two squads in the first two quarters.
Harden, the KSU leading scorer thus far in 2023-24, had nine points at the halfway mark, her fifth-consecutive game scoring nine or more. She has scored at least five points in 14 consecutive games dating back to last season.
The Owls doubled Georgetown in first-half bench points, 16 to eight.
The Hoyas started the third off strong and extended their lead to 38-28 before a 7-2 run from Kennesaw State put the Owls within five.
Laura Toffali drained a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to four, 41-37. KSU's defense caused a GU field-goal-scoring drought of 3:42.
Another shot from the charity stripe, this time from
Keyarah Berry, made it 41-38. Taylor then made it a one-score game with a FG, 41-40 with 4:09 left in the third.
Two more points from Taylor followed by a Hooks layup evened the game at 44 apiece with 2:35 remaining.
KSU trailed 47-46 entering the final 10. The Owls shot 54.5% in the third to Georgetown's 38.5%.
Taylor became the first Owl to break into double digits at 8:07 in the fourth with a layup that gave KSU a 48-47 advantage. With 2:22 left in regulation, Georgetown took a 52-50 lead.
Taylor again would strike and make the new Hoya lead last only 10 seconds, evening the score at 52. Georgetown traveled with 1:21 remaining, giving the Owls the ball.
Harden scored to post her second double-double of the season to put KSU within one, 55-54.
A foul on Harden sent her again to the free-throw line where she evened the game at 55 with 0:13.8 left.
The Hoyas made two free throws with two seconds in the game to take the 57-55 victory.
Georgetown was the Owls' 14th-consecutive opponent with a record of .500 or better dating back to the 2022-23 season.
Thursday's game came on the heels of the
largest comeback win in Kennesaw State women's basketball Division I history vs. Providence on Dec. 21, 53-51.
The Black and Gold ring in the new year on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7:00 p.m. for a road contest vs. in-state foe Mercer on ESPN+.
The Owls return home on Saturday, Jan. 6 against the Queens (N.C.) Royals to open Atlantic Sun Conference play at 2:00 p.m. inside the KSU Convocation Center for '90's Throwback Day. That game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans can purchase tickets
here.
