By: by Jason Hanes
NASHVILLE - Sametria Gideon's career-high 20 points helped lift Kennesaw State to a stunning, 57-56, win over Belmont Saturday night at the Curb Event Center in Atlantic Sun Conference action. The win gives the Lady Owls the No. 5 seed in the A-Sun Championships and a rematch with the Bruins this Thursday.
Trailing 56-53 entering the final 90 seconds, the Lady Owls rallied behind staunch defense and offensive rebounding. With 1:12 to go, DeAndrea Bullock was fouled and made a pair of free-throws to bring the Lady Owls within one. After Belmont missed a 3-pointer on the other end, the Lady Owls grabbed a rebound and asked for time. Following the timeout, the shot clock and game clock both started to wind down. With five seconds to shoot, Montinique Nixon fired and missed, but Gideon kept the play alive with the offensive board. The freshman missed the follow, but Bullock came up with the rebound and was fouled trying the put-back with eight seconds left.
Bullock, one of four seniors on the Lady Owls squad, calmly stepped to the charity stripe and made both free-throws to give KSU the lead for the third and final time. Belmont had a chance, but couldn't get a good luck at the basket, giving the Lady Owls the victory.
The game was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than six at any point in the game. The score was knotted at 26-all at the half after KSU shot 10-of-33 from the floor. The Lady Owls would shoot the same mark from the floor in the second half, but also hit on11-of-12 from the charity stripe en route to the one-point win.
Gideon, the A-Sun's leading freshman rebounder, shattered her career-high in points after going 8-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. The Madison, Ala., native also played a career-best 38 minutes. Nixon collected a double-double once again, scoring 12 and nabbing 14 rebounds. Bullock was KSU's other double-figure scorer with 13 points on the night.
Kristin Bunch had a double-double for Belmont with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Bunch was Belmont's leading rebounder as KSU out-rebounded the Bruins, 50-42.
The Lady Owls will be back in action Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. against these same Belmont Bruins in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships. The tournament will take place at the University Center in Macon, Ga., on the campus of Mercer. To purchase your tickets to the General Shale Atlantic Sun Tournament or for more information please call 478-301-5470 or visit
www.mercerbears.com.
