By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - DeAndrea Bullock had a team-high 17 points, including 11 in the first half, as the Kennesaw State women's basketball team rallied to edge the Purple Aces of Evansville, 70-65 in the consolation game of the DoubleTree Classic, hosted by the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Trailing 63-58 with just over three minutes remaining, the Lady Owls (3-3) closed the game out on a 12-2 run to stun Evansville (0-5). Kayla Weaver connected from 3-point territory to cut the lead to two, 63-61, with three minutes and 15 seconds to go. One possession later, Bullock completed a conventional 3-point play to put KSU on top 64-63.
Evansville scored on an Amy Gallagher jumper with two minutes and six seconds to go to put the Purple Aces ahead, but that would be the final points of the game the KSU defense would allow. An offensive rebound by Montinique Nixon turned into a put-back for the senior, giving KSU a 66-65 lead with 56 seconds left. After the Purple Aces were kept off the scoreboard the next trip down, Weaver completed her 14-point afternoon with two free-throws to push the lead to three, 68-65. Evansville missed a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to go, and Angie Smith grabbed the rebound and made two free-throws to put the game on ice.
KSU got a tremendous rebounding performance from their post players as Tamasha Bolden grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds, while Nixon added 10. The Lady Owls out-rebounded Evansville 49-37 and took advantage of their free-throw opportunities, going a perfect 10-for-10 as a team.
Smith was named to the All-Tournament team following the conclusion of the event, which was won by Villanova with a 64-59 win over Chattanooga.
The Lady Owls trailed 34-32 at the half, as Bullock helped to carry the load to keep KSU in the contest. The senior was 5-of-7 from the field, connecting on a 3-pointer, to buoy the hopes of the Lady Owls. One night after scoring in double figures for the first time in her career, freshman Weaver had seven points in the opening 20 minutes as KSU rallied from an early eight-point hole to trail by just a basket after the first 20 minutes.
KSU will return home to begin Atlantic Sun Conference play this Thursday with a 5 p.m. tip-off against Belmont at the KSU Convocation Center.
