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Indiana will end its 2022-23 non-conference schedule in opposition to Kennesaw State College in Bloomington on Dec. 23. Will probably be the third time the Owls and the Hoosiers face off, and the Hoosiers will look to make their file in opposition to the Owls a clear 3-0.
In each of the earlier matchups, in 2013 and 2015, Indiana scored at the very least 90 factors and gained by over 20 factors. Each video games additionally passed off at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor.
Kennesaw State completed the 2021-22 season with a 13-18 total file and a 7-9 file in ASUN play, ending fourth within the East Division of the convention.
Nevertheless, regardless of the dropping file, it was one in every of Kennesaw State’s greatest seasons in program historical past as a Division 1 group, and people 13 wins have been higher than the mixed wins from the previous three seasons (12). After taking the Owls into the postseason and profitable within the first spherical of the ASUN event, head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim was given a contract extension via the 2026-27 season.
Abdur-Rahim has been head coach of this system since April 2019 and has introduced the Owls a few of the biggest success this system has seen since coming into Division 1 in 2005.
In addition to protecting their head coach, the Owls are protecting most of their roster. All 5 starters — three of whom have been top-25 recruits in Georgia out of highschool in 2019 — are returning, and the Owls suffered no large blows within the switch portal whereas reaping the advantages with three incoming transfers.
Chris Youngblood led Kennesaw State in 3-pointers with 70, taking pictures at a 40.5-percent clip, and averaged 13.9 factors per recreation final season. The 6-foot-4 guard was one in every of three gamers to start out each recreation, joined by Terrell Burden and Demond Robinson. Each Youngblood and Burden have been All-ASUN candidates final season.
Burden, a 5-foot-10 level guard, averaged 11.6 factors per recreation for second-best on the group and led the group in assists (146) and steals (36). The 6-foot-8 Robinson transferred from Murray State earlier than the 2021-22 season and shortly grew to become a pressure for the Owls final season, sometimes enjoying as a middle. He led the group in blocks (18) whereas averaging 9.1 factors per recreation.
Whereas Kennesaw State did lose 4 gamers within the offseason — three to the switch portal and one to an abroad professional contract — the incoming transfers and freshmen alike are anticipated so as to add an excellent deal to this system.
The Owls most lately signed 6-foot-11 Yves Nkomba, who performed at Three Rivers Faculty this previous season. Abdur-Rahim stated he expects Nkomba, a middle, to be an instantaneous affect participant on the defensive finish attributable to his peak. The Owls averaged solely 2.8 blocks per recreation within the 2021-22 season, and Nkomba will add dimension within the frontcourt.
One other notable switch is Quincy Ademokoya, a guard who performed for 2 years at Temple. He solely noticed motion in 27 video games in these two years, however posted double figures in highschool and was a top-30 recruit in Georgia out of highschool. Ademokoya was initially recruited by Abdur-Rahim and Kennesaw State earlier than committing to Temple, and the Owls teaching employees is assured he can contribute on each ends of the ground.
Kennesaw State gained’t be with out offensive energy, given its retention charge and offensive success final season. Within the 2021-22 season, the Owls averaged 74.8 factors per recreation and shot 46.3 p.c from the sphere.
Nevertheless, the Owls completed final within the ASUN in free throw proportion at 66.2 p.c and sat in the course of the pack within the convention in nearly each different statistic. Defensively, as Abdur-Rahim alluded to when speaking about Nkomba’s switch, the Owls weren’t as dominant or prolonged as they might have favored to be, or wanted to be with a purpose to be extra aggressive.
In accordance with KenPom, Kennesaw State had an adjusted defensive effectivity score of 1.09 factors per possession allowed and gave up 71.2 factors per recreation. Whereas typically enjoying in high-scoring video games, Kennesaw State couldn’t all the time shut out because the clock ran down, and have been typically shut down by groups like Liberty and Creighton.
Whereas the Owls have been largely profitable by their very own program requirements final season, they didn’t make a lot of a dent in nationwide dialog, and Bart Torvik positioned the Owls at No. 232 within the nation on the finish of the season. This season, Torvik initiatives them at No. 248 within the nation and ninth within the ASUN.
As its difficult non-conference schedule involves an in depth, Indiana will probably be capable to give its starters a relaxation in its closing video games, permitting for extra contributors off the bench to achieve extra expertise earlier than heading into convention play.
Filed to: Kennesaw State Owls
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