KENNESAW, Ga. – A career day for
Keyarah Berry off the bench and the first double-double of the season from
Prencis Harden were not enough to lift Kennesaw State (1-1) past Utah Valley (2-0), 64-61, inside the KSU Convocation Center Saturday night.
Berry led the way offensively in her first game of the early season, hanging 20 points on seven made baskets. Harden finished with 10 rebounds and points apiece, en route to her 12
th career double-double.
Newcomer
Keiara Griffin added to her impressive start as an Owl with 13 points for a second-straight game while shooting 5-for-7 from the floor.
A hard-fought battle throughout, Kennesaw State fought back through every Wolverine run and was down by 10 on two separate occasions during the fourth quarter before a final rally, capped off by a
Kailyn Fields trey, evened the score at 61.
Utah Valley secured a three-point play with three seconds on the clock to steal the win, 64-61.
Saturday marked the first of two Conference USA/WAC Challenge games for the Owls, who trek to Seattle University Dec. 16.
FIRST HALF
KSU got out to an early 5-2 lead, with four points courtesy of Griffin, who shot 66.7% in the period. Berry rallied off five points of her own as the Wolverines took a 14-10 lead at the end of the first.
Sophia Rueppell sent in a three for the first KSU points of the second - her second made trey of 2024-25. Berry remained consistent, draining six points while Harden had five. KSU posted 18 total points in the second quarter to reach halftime trailing by only five, 33-28.
Berry had 11 first half points, which was her 11
th game in double figures as an Owl.
SECOND HALF
The Owls soared into the second half on a 7-2 run, four points coming from Harden, to even the game at 35 apiece. UVU answered and got back out by eight, 45-37, before Kennesaw State rallied back within three after a fast-break layup from Griffin, 45-42. The Wolverines led 49-44 entering the fourth.
Griffin remained a bright spot for KSU to open the fourth, posting the first four points of the period to get KSU back within two, 49-47. UVU then went on a run to get up by 10 with 6:38 left, and again with 2:31 on the clock.
Kennesaw State would then allow just one basket while it rattled off nine points courtesy of Griffin, Berry and
Kionna Gaines. Down by three with 0:09 left, the sophomore Fields sank a clutch trey to even the game at 61.
A driving layup from the Wolverines resulted in a three-point play, sealing the game with 0:03 remaining, 64-61.
STAT OF THE GAME
The Black and Gold's best period from for both field goal and three-point percentage was the fourth quarter. KSU shot 50% from the floor in the final 10 and 40% from beyond the arc. This allowed the Owls to quickly erase two 10-point UVU advantages and remain in the game to tie with under 10 seconds left.
COACH BLUE POSTGAME
GAME NOTES
- Saturday was Berry's second-career game scoring 20-or-more and first since at Stetson last season (Feb. 17).
- Morgan Dillard led KSU in assists with four, just her second game leading the team in that category in her Owl career.
- Harden paced the Owls with four steals Saturday; she now has 80 in her career.
- Harden tied Jasmine McAllister (2014-16) with 176 career free throws made in KSU Division I program history, good for seventh.
- She also surpassed Owl great Britteny Henderson (2007-09) for 10th in KSU DI career rebounds with 449.
- Saturday marked KSU's first game having three players with 10+ points since at Queens on March 2, 2024.
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State faces its first road test of the 2024-25 campaign Thursday, Nov. 14 at Belmont. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
KSU returns to the Convo Saturday, Nov. 16 at 5:00 p.m. to square off against Erskine on Hall of Fame weekend. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans can purchase tickets
here.
