March 1, 2008
Box Score
MACON, Ga. - While it wasn't pretty at times, the Kennesaw State women's basketball team won its 2007-08 season finale with a 77-70 victory over Mercer on Saturday afternoon inside the University Center.
The Lady Owls completed a three-game turnaround from last season to secure Kennesaw State's (16-12, 11-5 A-Sun) best record since joining the Division I ranks in 2005-06. Mercer closes the regular season just 1-15 in the league and 4-17 overall and will face top seed East Tennessee State in next week's Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
In what was a back-and-forth affair marred by missed shots and inopportune turnovers, the Black and Gold found themselves trailing by as many as nine in the first 20 minutes of play. KSU strung together a 16-7 run down the stretch and took a 34-33 lead into halftime after a pair of Britteny Henderson free throws.
The first half minutes of the second half saw the Lady Owls opened a three-point advantage only to have the Bears answer right back. After Henderson pushed the lead to four with 15 minutes to play, Mercer put together a 10-1 run, capped by Megan Lewis' three-pointer, to re-take the lead, 51-46.
After Mercer took a 51-45 lead on a three-pointer from sophomore LaToya Jackson, Kennesaw State scored six unanswered points to tie the game at 55-55 after Nikki Gurley sank one of her two three-pointers. The lead changed hands five times in the final eight minutes. But the Lady Owls took control of the contest with a 8-0 run with 4:04 to go.
The spurt started with a three ball from DeAndrea Bullock, followed by two more freebies by Henderson. Greteya Kelley ended the run by converting a three-point play after being fouled while laying the ball in.
Henderson led the Black and Gold attack with 21 points and 12 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the year. Kelley added 19 points and added to her conference-leading steal total with three. Bullock chipped in 10 points off the bench and Jennifer Baker had nine in the winning effort.
Carter led four Bears in double-figures with 15 points. Megan Lewis contributed 12 points and a team-best nine boards. Sarah Russell chipped in with 11 points and four rebounds in her final collegiate game. Jackson nailed four triples to extend her streak with at least one three-pointer to 22 games while netting 14 points and dishing out four assists.
KSU finished the game shooting 40.6 percent (28-of-69) and won the rebounding battle, 40-35. The Lady Owls forced 26 turnovers and converted them into 31 points.
