Dec. 30, 2006
Box Score
MACON, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women's basketball team scored the first seven points and never looked back as the Lady Owls beat Savannah State, 74-66, in the final round of the Mercer Blade Holiday Classic on Saturday afternoon.
Despite allowing a season-high 44.4 percent shooting from their opponents, the Lady Owls (5-7) used strong defense and their early first-half run to put the Tigers (6-8) in an early hole.
Gia Lockett started the scoring just :18 in when she knocked down the front end of two free throws, followed by an Ashley Johnson lay-up and two freebies by Rosetta Hollis. After two more free throws from DeAndrea Bullock, Savannah State got on the board when Antoinette Williams hit the front end of a two-shot foul to bring the score to 7-1.
After two straight jumpers from Lockett and Stephanie Scearce stretched the lead to seven, the Lady Owls went cold, missing their next four shots. The Tigers took advantage of the KSU woes as they out together a 6-0 run to cut the lead to one at 11-10.
The teams battled hard for the remainder of the half as neither team took more than a five-point lead at any time. Lockett nailed a three-pointer with :45 remaining only to be followed by a jumper by Williams as time expired to bring the score to 32-29 at the half.
Just as they had done to open the game, the Lady Owls caught their opponent off-guard, opening the second half on an 11-2 run over the first six minutes. Savannah State pulled to within five with three minutes to go in the game when Shaunte Carter converted a lay-up, but behind a season-high 11 steals, KSU held on for its fifth win of the season.
Hollis led all scorers with career-highs in points (22) and rebounds (18). The freshman finished the game shooting 8-of-14 and secured 10 defensive boards en route to her third double-double of the season. Lockett finished with a career-high 18 points, while Bullock and Jade Robinson each added 13 for the Lady Owls.
Milan Johnson paced Savannah State with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Williams and Ivy Smith each chipped in 13 for the Tigers.
KSU controlled the boards, out-rebounding SSU 44-36.
The Lady Owls will return home to resume conference play when the Belmont Bruins come to the KSU Convocation Center on Thursday, January 4. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m. and will follow the men's game versus Belmont at 6:00 p.m.
