By: by Jason Hanes
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Brandi Jones scored a game-high and career-high 21 points as the Kennesaw State women's basketball team saw its three-game winning streak come to a close with an 81-63 loss to East Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Sun Conference contest.
KSU played ETSU evenly through most of the opening 10 minutes of the game. After a jumper by Gia Lockett, the Lady Owls (8-17, 5-10) led 12-7 with just under 12 minutes to go in the opening half. But the Lady Bucs would go on a run, scoring the next 10 points over 2:45 to take a 17-12 lead.
ETSU would build upon the lead, settling for a, 36-26, advantage after the first 20 minutes. In the opening stages of the second half, ETSU put the game away, going on a 13-1 run to open the lead up to 22 points with just under 17 minutes to go in the contest.
The Lady Owls would get the lead down to 13 after a 6-0 spurt fueled on points by Sametria Gideon, DeAndrea Bullock, and Angie Smith, but ETSU would extend the lead up to as many as 27 before eventually settling for the 18-point victory.
Jones, the reigning A-Sun Player of the Week, scored her 21 points after connecting on seven shots from the field - including one 3-pointer - and six free-throws. Nixon was KSU's second-leading scorer with nine points.
Tarita Gordon had 18 points to lead ETSU (15-8, 13-2), with TaRonda Wiles adding 17.
The Lady Owls will be back in action this Thursday when they play host to Jacksonville in a key A-Sun contest. Tip-off at the KSU Convocation Center is set for 5 p.m.
