Late-Game Push Gives Kennesaw State Win Over Ospreys

Monday, January 23

Jacksonville, Fla.

7:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

8-12, 1-4ASUN

Kennesaw State

3-16, 2-3ASUN

Kennesaw State

North Florida

Photo by: Todd Drexler

1/23/2017 9:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Kennesaw State made a strong push late in the game as the Owls defeated North Florida women's basketball, 67-61, on Monday evening at UNF Arena.

QUICK GLANCE
Score: North Florida 61, Kennesaw State 67
Records: North Florida (8-12, 1-4 ASUN) | Kennesaw State (3-16, 2-3 ASUN)
Location: UNF Arena (Jacksonville, Fla.)
The Short Story: Kennesaw State went on a 21-8 run in the final six minutes of the game to secure the road victory.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
Final Boxscore: PDF

OPENING TIP
- Senior Claire Ioannidis scored all of her team-high 15 points in the second half thanks to a three triples. She also dished out five assists.
- Junior Sierra Shepherd added 11 points with two assists, a block and a steal.
- All but one North Florida player scored a basket.
- Kennesaw State dominated off the glass as the Owls grabbed 47 rebounds to UNF's 27.
- Carlotta Gianolla tallied 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Deandrea Sawyers got hot in the second half with three long balls and a 7-for-8 outing from the line.

GAME CAPSULE
First Half Trends
- In the opening 10 minutes, neither team found a rhythm as it was 10-10 after one.
- The second frame saw six tie scores, the final one coming on a pair of makes from reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Week Tesh Hanson.
- Karrah Johnson scored the Ospreys lone basket over the final three minutes as Kennesaw State took a 27-25 lead into halftime.
- Both teams were scoreless from long range during the first 20 minutes.

Second Half Trends
- Kennesaw State took a 33-27 lead early in the third quarter, but back-to-back triples from Ioannidis and Shepherd knotted the game.
- The Owls answered with their own three on the other end before trading baskets in the final four minutes.
- A steal from Adrienne Jackson followed by a drive to the basket with six seconds left in the third tied the game at 43-all.
- Thanks to a cross court pass from Kirsten Clement, Ioannidis started a 7-0 run to start the fourth to give North Florida a 50-43 lead.
- The Ospreys led by seven in the second half before Kennesaw State went on a 21-8 tear in the final six minutes to close out the game.
- Ioannidis late three-point play snapped more than a five-minute gap without a bucket for UNF.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Ospreys seven turnovers are a season-low. UNF capitalized on the Owls' 15 miscues with 16 points.
- This is the third straight game North Florida has allowed 20+ points in the final frame.
- Kennesaw State scored 12 second-chance points off 14 offensive boards including six from Deja McPhee.
- The rebound margin was the largest since USF (11/15) grabbed 23 more boards than the Ospreys.
- Hanson was injured in the second half and only played a total of seven minutes in the third.
- Kennesaw State was 25-for-35 from the line with the total attempts being one shy of a season-high for an opponent.
- North Florida is 0-10 this season when trailing at half time.

NEXT UP
- North Florida gets a chance to recoup its legs as it prepares for Stetson. The Ospreys make the short drive to DeLand on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip.