KENNESAW, Georgia – UNCW used a 28-point third quarter to claim the lead over Kennesaw State, but the host Owls answered with a big fourth quarter to secure a 69-59 victory over the Seahawks in non-conference women's basketball action at the KSU Convocation Center on Friday afternoon.
The loss dropped the Seahawks' record to 3-2 on the season and saw an end to their two-game win streak. Kennesaw State, meanwhile, earned its second win in three days to open its 2020-21 campaign.
Redshirt junior guard
Jah'Che Whitfield led three Kennesaw State players in double figures with a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman guard
Julia Rodriguez came off the bench to chip in 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field while junior guard
Amani Johnson added 10 points with eight assists and three steals.
Freshman guard
Taylor Webster paced four Seahawks in double figures with 17 points and seven rebounds. The Washington, D.C., product was 6-of-12 from the field in addition to sinking five of her six free throws.
Freshman guard
Mary McMillan and redshirt junior guard
Dazia Powell each tallied 12 points while junior guard
Za'Nautica Downs came off the bench to score 11 points.
Key Moment: UNCW, which trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half, led by a 59-57 margin with 2:59 remaining in regulation before Kennesaw State responded with a game-deciding 12-0 run, which included five points from Johnson and four points from Whitfield.
Game Notes:
- Friday marked the second all-time meeting between the Seahawks and the Owls … Kennesaw State has won both contests in the series.
- Webster recorded the first double-digit scoring effort of her college career … She had tallied 19 points in her first four games prior to Friday's effort.
- UNCW has tallied 20 points in the third quarter of each of its last three games … The Seahawks' 28 points in the third quarter on Friday marked the most in a single period in Coach Karen Barefoot's four-year tenure.
- The Seahawks were outrebounded for the first time this season as Kennesaw State held a 39-33 advantage on the glass … It is just the second time in the last 11 games UNCW has not controlled the rebounding edge.
- Sophomore Nya Mitchels, who made the first start of her college career, grabbed a career-high eight rebounds while playing 35 minutes.
- McMillan has committed just one turnover in her last two games while registering nine assists … The Apopka, Fla., product also tallied a game-high four steals.
- Powell set a career high in rebounding for the second consecutive game after tallying seven caroms at Kennesaw State.
Up Next: The Seahawks, who had their Dec. 22 game at Duke postponed, will be idle until Tuesday, Dec. 29, when they welcome Mercer to Trask Coliseum for a 2 p.m. non-conference contest. The game can be seen on FloHoops and heard in the Wilmington area on 95.9 FM The Breeze.
