By: Michael Pitts
No. 8 Kennesaw State (11-18, 7-9 Atlantic Sun Conference) vs.
No. 7 Austin Peay (15-15, 8-8 ASUN)
Time: Friday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: DeLand, Fla.
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats
With win over APSU: No. 8 Kennesaw State atÂ
No. 2 Stetson (17-13, 12-4 ASUN)
Time:Â Saturday, March 9 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: DeLand, Fla.
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats
DELAND, Fla. - Kennesaw State begins its final ASUN tournament Friday, March 8 against an opponent the Owls have yet to face in the event: Austin Peay. Defeating the Governors elevates KSU to a quarterfinal matchup against No. 2 Stetson on Saturday, March 9.
A victory would propel
Octavia Blue to be the first head coach in KSU history to win an ASUN tournament game in back-to-back seasons. The Black and Gold defeated Jacksonville State, 82-73, in the 2023 rendition of the event. She would also become only the second Kennesaw State head coach to win multiple Atlantic Sun tournament contests.
The Owls defeated Stetson on the road, 63-48, earlier in the season and split the regular season series with the Hatters. KSU fell to Austin Peay, 61-50, on Feb. 1.
Kennesaw State toppled then-No. 2 Stetson in the 2019 conference tournament for the highest-ranked victory for KSU in the ASUN postseason.
KSU moves to Conference USA on July 1. All 2024 Atlantic Sun tournament games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
GAME NOTES
- Senior Kyndall Golden is one block away from tying the Kennesaw State Division I single-season record of 47.
- On Monday, Trynce Taylor became one of two Owls to ever win three ASUN Freshman of the Week honors, joining Amani Johnson.
- Taylor was named to the All-ASUN Freshman Team Thursday in addition to Prencis Harden, who earned All-ASUN second team honors.
- Harden is tied for the ASUN lead with seven double-doubles in conference games this season.
- Kennesaw State is 3-4 all-time against Austin Peay and Friday's matchup will be the first in the series at a neutral site.
- KSU has won three of the last five against the Hatters including four-straight in DeLand.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- 24: Harden scored 24 points against Liberty in last year's second-round matchup.
- 19: Friday night marks Kennesaw State's 19th Atlantic Sun tournament game.
- 10: Austin Peay will be the 10th different team the Owls have faced in the conference postseason event.
- 5: Only five current KSU student-athletes have competed in the Atlantic Sun tournament.
- 3: Three of KSU's four all-time ASUN tournament victories have come against teams ranked No. 5 or better.
- 2: Kennesaw State is 2-1 in the ASUN tournament against teams it has defeated in the accompanying regular season.
SETTING THE SUN
On Thursday, March 7, the Atlantic Sun Conference announced that Harden and Taylor had been named to the All-ASUN second team and All-Freshman team, respectively. The awards marked the first All-Atlantic Sun honors (pre-or-postseason) for both. Kennesaw State has had a player featured on either the All-ASUN or All-Freshman team every year since 2013-14. The Owls move to Conference USA on July 1 after being in the Atlantic Sun since moving to NCAA Division I in 2005-06.
Learn more.
ATLANTIC SUN REGULAR SEASON RANKS
Team
- First: double-doubles (14)
- First: offensive rebounds per game (14.03)
- First: offensive rebound percentage (37.8%)
- Third: rebounding margin (+4.41)
- Third: rebounding defense (33.45)
Prencis Harden
- First: double-doubles (10)
- Second: field goal percentage (43.1%)
- Third: rebounding (7.81)
- Third: defensive rebounds per game (5.00)
Kyndall Golden
- First: blocks (46)
- First: blocks per game (1.59)
Carly Hooks
- First: 30-point games (3)
RAISING THE BAR
Against North Florida on Jan. 11, head coach
Octavia Blue became the fastest KSU head coach to 30 Division I victories, besting the previous mark by five games. Two days later, the Owls defeated Jacksonville, 59-57, for the first 3-0 start to the ASUN schedule in program history and tied the best regular-season ASUN win streak at five games. On Jan. 18, KSU broke the record by defeating Stetson on the road, 63-48. On Dec. 7, Blue signed a contract extension, keeping her in Kennesaw thru the 2026-27 campaign.
DECEMBER TO REMEMBER
In the final month of 2023, Harden and Taylor combined for 157 points, eight 10-point games, 78 rebounds, 20 steals and 53% shooting. The duo earned weekly ASUN honors on Dec. 27.
