By: Mark Wasik
Saturday, January 6
5 p.m. – Kennesaw State (9-5, 0-0) vs Queens (6-9, 0-0)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. | Convocation Center (3,805)
TV: ESPN+ (Nolan Alexander, Brandon Johnson, Natalie Bode)
Follow KSU Men's Basketball - X | Instagram
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State will open its final men's basketball season in the Atlantic Sun looking to defend their regular season title, as the Owls will host Queens on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. in the Convocation Center, the first of a three-game homestand to begin the conference schedule.
Saturday is also Alumni Weekend, as well as Throwback/90's Day. The contest is part of a doubleheader, as the Owl women will host Queens at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the ESPN+.
A FEW NOTES
♦ Though the teams only met for the first time a season ago, it's already a very competitive rivalry between the two. Queens handed the Owls their only home loss of the season last year when they came away with an 83-76 win on KSU's Senior Day. The two teams then matched up in the quarterfinals of the ASUN Tournament, and the Royals nearly rallied to knock off the top-seeded Owls before KSU held on for a 67-66 win, on the way to their eventual tournament title.
♦ Under first-year head coach
Antoine Pettway, the Owls are playing at the fastest pace in the nation (according to KenPom). In addition, KSU also ranks third in the NCAA in fastbreak points (18.3 ppg), fifth in three-point attempts per game (30.8 per game), and 15th in scoring per game (85.5 ppg). Individually,
Terrell Burden is 13th in assists per game with 6.4.
♦ While the Owls are first in the nation in tempo, the Royals comes in ranked 21st themselves, leading to the potential for a very fast-paced, high scoring game in the Convocation Center.
♦ The Owls are currently riding an eight-game home win streak, tied for the 40th-longest in the nation. KSU is 22-1 in their last 23 games in the Convocation Center.
♦ KSU is looking to win its conference opener for the third straight year. All-time, KSU is 5-13 in Atlantic Sun Conference openers.
