Feb. 7, 2009
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Senior Britteny Henderson scored 16 of her game-high 20 points in the second half to lead Kennesaw State women's basketball team to a 50-46 win over North Florida on Wednesday afternoon at the KSU Convocation Center in an Atlantic Sun Conference contest.
"We really did a great job on defense in the second half," said KSU head coach Colby Tilley. "When we needed to get some defensive stops, we were able to get the job done."
A low-scoring affair, KSU led 25-24 after 20 minutes. In the contest at UNF, Gia Lockett hit a three-pointer from just inside mid-court as time expired to end the half. In the rematch, UNF got revenge when Brittany Kirkland drained a shot from just inside the half-court line as time expired. to cut the KSU lead to one.
In the second half, KSU (10-11, 7-6) scored the first points but a 7-0 run by the Ospreys put the visitors ahead 31-27. The Lady Owls battled back, tying the score at 33-all when Henderson nailed a jumper. After UNF (5-18, 4-10) took a 36-35 lead, Henderson scored six of the next seven points to give KSU a 42-36 edge.
It would then be time for the visitors to make a run, using a 9-1 spurt to take a 45-43 lead. Henderson tied the score with two minutes and twenty-two seconds to go, but with UNF retaking the lead after a free throw by Kim Baker with 121 seconds left in the contest.
That would prove to be the final point of the game for the Ospreys as KSU clamped down on defense. Jennifer Baker scored from the charity stripe with one minute and thirty-two seconds to go to even the score at 46-46. After a pair of KSU stops on the defensive end, Henderson was fouled with 40 seconds remaining in the game. After going 0-for-5 in her previous trips to the line, Henderson calmly sank both free throws to give the Lady Owls the lead.
UNF had the ball with a chance to tie, but turned it back over to the Lady Owls with 31 seconds left. KSU had a chance to salt the game away from the line, but a pair of missed free throws kept UNF in the contest. After a UNF timeout with 13 seconds to go, the final shot of the game for the Ospreys was lofted up by Jennifer Guldager. The shot missed, with Henderson collecting the rebound and getting fouled in the process. Henderson made both free throws at the other end, sealing the victory for the Lady Owls.
Henderson and Kirkland tied for game-high scoring honors with 20, while Jennifer Baker added 15 for KSU. KSU's defense forced 28 UNF turnovers and held the Ospreys to just 13-of-48 shooting from the field. KSU shot marginally better from the field at 19-of-54, but struggled at the free-throw line, hitting on just nine out of 21 attempts.
Wearing pink jerseys in support of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's initiative to bring attention to the cause of Breast Cancer Awareness, KSU improved to 2-0 all-time in the uniforms after defeating Florida Gulf Coast last season, 55-52.
The Lady Owls will be back in action on Monday when Mercer visits the KSU Convocation Center. Tip-off is slated for 4:30 p.m.
