By: Zac Pike
Kennesaw State (9-11), (5-4)
at Queens (7-13), (2-7)
Location: Charlotte, N.C. | Curry Arena
Date: Feb. 2
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State women's basketball heads to Charlotte, N.C. to take on Queens for the first time in program history Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Curry Arena.
KSU enters the two-game road swing winners of three of its past four games on the road with wins coming at Bellarmine, Lipscomb and Jacksonville State. With a win Thursday, the Owls will have five wins on the road for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
Amani Johnson is coming off back-to-back 17-point performances last week as Kennesaw State looks to improve to 6-4 in ASUN Conference play.
Jah'Che Whitfield leads the Owls in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game and a team-high 5.6 rebounds per contest.
Crashing the Glass
KSU's offensive rebounding has been a staple all season. The Owls lead the ASUN and are 52nd in the nation in offensive rebounds per game, with 13.8. Last week against North Alabama and Central Arkansas, the Owls pulled down 38 combined on the offensive glass. Kennesaw State has at least 11 offensive rebounds in 15 of 20 games this season.
Block Party
Standing 5'8,
Carly Hooks has been a catalyst on defense all season disrupting opposing offenses in a multitude of ways. The guard leads the team with 14 blocks on the season and is second on the squad with 29 steals. In addition to her stellar offense, the Atlanta native has scored 15 or more points in four of the last seven games, including a career-high 21 points in a 71-52 win at Lipscomb.
Owls Off to Best Start in ASUN Play Since 2016-17
After a grueling non-conference slate that featured three games against Power-5 opponents, KSU has won eight of its past 12 games. The 5-4 start under second-year coach, Octavia Blue is the best start for the Owls in the ASUN since the 2016-17 season when the Owls finished 8-6 in conference play. Kennesaw State has already matched last season's win totals in overall wins and conference wins with 9 games left in the regular season.
Amani Johnson Adds Another Milestone
The graduate senior added another major milestone to her outstanding career. Johnson knocked down a pair of free throws late in the game at Austin Peay, which put her past the 1,500-point mark in her KSU career. The guard is already the KSU DI all-time leader in scoring (1,545), assists (584), field goals made (569), field goals attempted (1,519), minutes played (4,783) and steals (241). Johnson's 4.9 assists per game rank third in the ASUN.
Owls Flying High
Kennesaw State is 8-5 over its last 13 games, which included a three-game winning streak for the first time since early February last year. The Owls took down Bellarmine on the road, Central Arkansas and North Florida from Feb. 5th through Feb. 12th a season ago. This season KSU posted another three-game winning streak with wins coming against Austin Peay at home and wins on the road at Bellarmine and Lipscomb.
Defense is Key
The KSU defense drives the success of the team this season and the Owls are 8-2 when holding their opponent below 40 percent shooting from the field. The KSU defense has held opponents below 65 points in seven of the past eight contests and held four of those opponents to 57 points or fewer. Kennesaw State is 5-1 this season when limiting opponents under 60 points.
Whitfield Leading Owls in Multiple Categories
Jah'Che Whitfield finished with a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds at EKU in the ASUN Conference opener, posting her first double-double of the season and the ninth of her career. The Sumter, S.C. native leads the Owls in scoring (13.3), rebounding (5.6), defensive rebounds (85), made field goals (100), field goals attempted (236), free throws made (51) and free throws attempted (80). The graduate senior ranks 10th in the ASUN in points per game (13.3) and 14th in rebounds (5.6).
Scouting Queens
Queens' ability to force turnovers has contributed to their strong defense, as they're currently tied for second in the ASUN in steals per game with 9.2. Adia Brisker has heavily contributed to Queens' offensive output, leading the team in scoring with 13.1 points per game. She's complemented that with 4.9 rebounds per game and ranks second in the ASUN in steals per game with 2.5 after grabbing nine against Austin Peay State last weekend. Kasey Kidwell has played a big role on both sides of the ball early on this season. She's excelled in draining the long ball with a 35.2 three-point percentage. She's been hot as of late, having scored 10+ points in 11 of the last 12 games. Jordyn Weaver has done a nice job making her presence felt on both sides of the ball as she leads the team in rebounds per game (6.8) and double-doubles with four.
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.
