KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State women's basketball fought back from a 14-point third quarter deficit to take a two-point edge in the final minutes, before Florida Atlantic hit a three-pointer from the corner with just two seconds to play to escape with a 69-68 win in a battle of the Owls on Saturday night at VyStar Arena.
THE FIRST HALF
Kennesaw State started the first half trailing close behind Florida Atlantic.
Kailyn Fields and
Keyarah Berry were the first to put points on the board for the Owls. Newcomers such as Tatianna Stovall,
Latazia Williamson, and
Madyson Elliott stepped onto the court, bringing fresh energy and defensive pressure. Despite the early deficit, the Owls showed composure and ball movement, trading baskets with the Owls of FAU and keeping the score within reach as the first quarter progressed.
KSU continued to apply pressure through the second quarter, connecting on back-to-back jumpers and smooth layups to stay in the fight. The Owls maintained their intensity on both ends of the court, challenging Florida Atlantic's offense and keeping the score tight. Despite the strong push, KSU went into halftime trailing by just four points, 35–31.
THE SECOND HALF
KSU stayed within four points in the third quarter, until a 7-0 run put the lead up to 11 points. FAU would led by as much as 14 points, 59-45 with 3:05 in the third, while Berry scored the final three points of the quarter to make it a nine-point contest. After FAU went up 74-64 with seven minutes left in the game, KSU would hold the visitors scoreless for the next five minutes. Twelve unanswered points by KSU, with a jumper from
Shania Nichols, gave the edge back to the home Owls at 66-64. It was 68-66 after another KSU basket, and that lead held up until the final seconds, when following a pair of missed free throws by KSU, FAU would hit the game-winning three. KSU called timeout to set up a play but had to settle for a long three-point try by
Trynce Taylor that was off the mark.
STAT OF THE GAME
FAU finished 8-of-16 from three-point range for 50%, while KSU made 1-of-6 attempts for 16.7%.
NOTES
-Berry led all scorers with 25 points. Fields was the next highest scorer for KSU with eight.
-KSU did hold a 36-21 edge on the boards, which led to a 12-3 advantage on second chance points.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls will be on the road to face-off against ETSU on Wednesday at 2:00 PM in Johnson City, Tenn.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
