Kennesaw State looks a lot different coming off its best season in program history.
The Owls earned their first winning record since becoming a Division I program and made the NCAA Tournament. The Owls were 26-9, including 15-3 in ASUN conference play, and broke multiple program records. As the No. 14 seed, KSU pushed No. 3 Xavier, but ultimately lost 72-67 in the opening round of March Madness.
The price of that success: Beloved coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who oversaw the historic turnaround from a one-win 2019 campaign to a tournament berth, was hired by South Florida. A few days later, Owls guards Brandon Stroud, Chris Youngblood and Kasen Jennings followed Abdur-Rahim to Tampa.
But those changes don’t necessarily mean regression. The Owls were picked second in the preseason conference poll. Veteran leaders Terrell Burden and Demond Robinson stayed. New coach Antoine Pettway is drawing early positive reviews for his enthusiasm (“He’s energetic, he’s a people person,” Burden said).
Pettway, formerly an Alabama assistant, inherited a program that’s more established than when Abdur-Rahim arrived. Last season proved KSU can be a winner. Pettway is tasked with maintaining success.
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
“Just the potential (of the program); I think we saw a glimpse of what they can be last year,” Pettway said. “With the location, the people we have in leadership … I think the potential of this place is through the roof. That’s what excited me about this job. You can get great players in here, and I also want to get great-character kids. So I think we have the chance to do something special here.”
Stroud and Youngblood were regular starters, while Jennings also started 18 games last season. Youngblood was the Owls’ leading scorer (14.7 points per game), while Stroud was the conference’s defensive player of the year. So several years after launching a rebuild, KSU was tasked with doing it again — though this time, it starts from a better place.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s exciting as well,” said Burden, who averaged 13.5 points per game and was ASUN Tournament MVP last season. “I feel like we have a chance to do something special here again. ... A lot of it is experience. We’ve been through it. Some of the stuff I’ve learned, just winning plays, winning moments, talking on defense, it’s the little things you think don’t add up, but in the end they really do.”
Prospects have bought into the program: The Owls had the best recruiting class in the conference, headlined by guard RJ Johnson of Huntsville, Alabama, who is expected to play a key role early in his career.
A breakout candidate: sophomore guard Simeon Cottle. He played 31 games as a reserve last season and seems primed for a step forward. His play already has impressed, especially on offense, and he’s assumed more of a leadership role. He’s also been mentoring Johnson, just as Burden guided him.
Burden notes the team’s depth has improved from last season despite the departures. Pettway expects an up-tempo pace that will give opponents issues. He thinks that rebounding and shooting should be strengths.
“I think we have a wonderful chance of going back to the (ASUN) championship (game),” Cottle said. “Coach did a wonderful job recruiting and bringing in the pieces we feel we need to make that championship run again.”
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The Owls begin the season Nov. 7 against Oakwood at the KSU Convocation Center. They have several informative games early, including Florida State (Nov. 10), Georgia Southern (Nov. 19), Georgia State (Dec. 2) and North Carolina-Asheville (Dec. 5).
This will be KSU’s final season in the ASUN as the Owls are headed to Conference USA for the 2024-25 season. They’ll hope to exit the conference as back-to-back champions.
“You can tell this team had success last year, and they want to keep it,” Pettway said. “We have a formula for sustained success at Kennesaw State. We have great leadership, then with the guys, I always tell them: The championship was last year. We’re not ASUN champs anymore. We’re defending ASUN champs. Now what are you willing to do to defend it? I know what I’m willing to do. I’m willing to give everything I’ve got. And our group is doing the same.
“Our mindset is, ‘Yeah, we won it last year. But we’re defending champs now, and we have to work even harder to defend it.’”
About the Author
