BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Carly Hooks and
Prencis Harden battled hard against the up-tempo Western Kentucky offense, but Kennesaw State women's basketball wasn't able to keep up on Thursday night, falling 78-57 at the E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Owls (8-13, 3-7 CUSA) were led by graduate student Hooks, who scored 14 points for the Owls, and senior
Morgan Dillard, who scored 12 points off the bench – including eight points in the fourth quarter.
The Owls kept the game close in the first quarter, but the Hilltoppers (16-6, 7-3 CUSA) had two players score 20 or more points, while their offense overall was red-hot, shooting 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from three.
First Half:
A
Carly Hooks jumper started the scoring for the Owls, and both teams would go back and forth until the Hilltoppers grabbed control of the first quarter, leading 28-16. Despite being down in the first quarter, the Owls were efficient, shooting 55 percent from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. The Owls struggled with turnovers early on, which unfortunately proved tough to overcome.
Western Kentucky played tough defense in the paint and forced the Owls to shoot from the perimeter. Hooks continued to lead the team on the scoreboard by scoring seven in the second quarter and 11 total points going into the intermission.
Prencis Harden would score her first bucket on a jumper with 5:55 left in the first quarter. Harden continued to dominate in rebounding, as she totaled eight rebounds before the start of the third quarter.
The Hilltoppers had a triple-threat attack from three players, totaling all but two of their 47 points scored in the first half as they led the Owls 47-28 at the half.
Second Half:
Keiara Griffin scored the first points in the second half for the Owls with a tough layup underneath the basket. Hooks and Griffin continued to stay aggressive, attacking the Hilltopper defense in the paint and securing two points from both their free-throw attempts. The Hilltoppers continued to battle back and held a 52-32 lead going into the first media break.
Harden would earn her 13
th double-double on the season after scoring off a three-point play. Harden grabbed four rebounds in the third quarter, and Griffin would lead the Owls in third quarter points, scoring five in the quarter while trailing the Hilltoppers, 64-41.
Morgan Dillard returned to the court after missing three games and scored the first points in the fourth with another Owl layup. This is Dillard's first game this season with double-digit points and scored eight points in the fourth quarter.
Kailyn Fields would hit her second three-pointer with 4:32 left in the fourth quarter, but the Hilltoppers seemingly had an answer to every Owl comeback attempt. The Owls would end the game with a 78-57 loss.
Head Coach Octavia Blue Postgame:
"Just a complete no-show from start to finish of the game. We have to take accountability for that. I think we gave them open looks early on and I had to call a timeout to try to stop their momentum. But I thought our defensive effort was a step slow. Poor communication by our part."
"But credit Western Kentucky. They made every shot that we missed an assignment on. They outran us in transition and we have to learn that on the road, we have to step into the gym ready to play from the time that we tip to the end of the buzzer. We have to have a much better defensive effort and the way that we approach the game if we think we're going to have some success on the road."
Game Notes:
- Prencis Harden secured her 13th double-double of the season.
- This was Morgan Dillard's first double-digit scoring game of the season (12).
- KSU outscored the WKU bench 15-8
- This was Harden's 14th game with 10 or more rebounds in a game this season.
Up Next:
The Owls conclude their four-game road swing when they travel to battle Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
