Young Kennesaw State a dangerous team entering Conference USA tournament

“Our conference is wide-open,” KSU coach Antoine Pettway said. “You’ve got to come out and play hard, and you can win every game. That’s how we feel. But anybody from No. 1 to No. 10 can beat you as well. It’s super competitive.”

Kennesaw State (18-13) finished 10-8 in the CUSA. The Owls split with Liberty and Jacksonville State and lost both games to No. 3 Middle Tennessee. They also split with New Mexico State, their first-round tournament opponent, most recently 60-49 on Feb. 22, when they shot only 32.6% from the floor and were only 6-of-24 shooting in the second half.

“We’re playing good ball when we need it most,” Pettway said. “We’re playing a lot of freshmen, but my guys fight and they believe, and I identify with that.”

The Owls are built around their three freshman — Adrian Wooley, Braedan Lue and Jamil Miller. The trio accounts for 35.3 points per game — almost half the team’s 76.35 points — and 15.5 rebounds. With a combined 87 starts in 93 opportunities, the young core has grown up in front of Pettway.

“It’s been a process,” Pettway said. “Throughout the years these guys have continued to get better and have just continued to work. It’s been refreshing to see. We let them play through mistakes because we realize basketball is not a game of perfection. We want to pump them up with confidence and give them a little freedom to go be themselves out on the court.”

Wooley, a 6-5 freshman from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has had a special season. He averages 18.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He was a 12-time selection as CUSA Freshman of the Week and this week was named Freshman of the Year and first-team member of the All-CUSA firsts team.

“He just keeps getting and better,” Pettway said. “The kid works so hard. He’s always in the gym. He’s constantly watching videotape. He’s obsessed with getting better, so when you see him having success on the court, you know the reason why — because of the work he puts in every day.”

Lue, a 6-8 freshman from Alexander High in Douglasville, averages 9.7 points and 5.4 rebounds and was named the CUSA All-Freshman team. Miller, a 6-6 freshman from Seattle, averages 7.1 points and 4.9 rebounds.

“These freshmen are no longer considered freshmen,” Pettway said. “They’ve played enough minutes that they’re really sophomores. We knew we could stick with these guys and through the nonconference schedule we could reap the benefits. And that’s what’s going on. And we’ve got some veteran guys. It’s coming along.”

The youngsters are helped by the veteran presence of junior Simeon Cottle, who averages 17.7 points and 3.1 assists. He was a second-team all-conference selection.