WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Junior forward Alexis Poole scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Kennesaw State ran its winning streak to three games after edging UNCW, 58-56, in non-conference women's basketball action at Trask Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Owls, who made their first-ever visit to Wilmington, upped their record to 4-1 while UNCW dipped to 2-4 after seeing its brief two-game win streak snapped.
 
Poole, who authored her third double-double in the last four games, matched her career high after making 8 of 16 shots from the field in addition to an 11-for-13 effort at the free throw line.
 
Freshman guard Gillian Piccolino and sophomore guard Amani Johnson each chipped in nine points for the Owls in the victory.
 
UNCW, which completed its three-game homestand on Saturday, was paced by redshirt senior guard GiGi Smith's 18 points while senior guard Ahyiona Vason contributed a season-high 13 points.
 
Key Moment: After UNCW took a 46-45 lead on a Vason three-pointer with 7:47 remaining in regulation, Kennesaw State reclaimed the advantage by scoring 12 of the next 17 points, including 10 points from Poole, for a 57-51 cushion the Owls did not relinquish. The Seahawks closed to within 58-56 on a jumper by junior forward Carol-Anne Obusek with 28.7 seconds left, but Piccolino hit one of two free throws with 3.8 ticks left to seal the victory.
 
Game Notes:

• UNCW and Kennesaw State faced each other for the first time in women's basketball.
• The Seahawks lost on their home court for just the second time in the last 16 games … Since the start of the 2017-18 season, UNCW holds a 21-10 record inside Trask Coliseum.
• Smith extended her streak of double-digit scoring efforts to six in a row … She also led the Seahawks in scoring for the fifth time in six games this season.
• Vason, who fashioned her seventh career double-digit scoring performance, tallied all 13 of her points in the second half.
• Kennesaw State hit its first 17 free throw attempts before Poole missed with 5:57 remaining in the fourth quarter … The Owls finished the game by going 19-for-22 at the foul line.
• UNCW limited Kennesaw State to a season-low 58 points.
• The Seahawks hit a season-high seven three-point field goals against Kennesaw State … Smith led the charge by going 3-for-7 from beyond the arc while Vason hit both of her attempts.

Up Next: The Seahawks will be idle until Dec. 4 when they visit Presbyterian for a 6 p.m. contest against the Blue Hose inside the Templeton Center.   

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