By: by Jason Hanes
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KENNESAW, Ga. - On a record-setting night, Ashley Holliday connected on nine 3-pointers to set the Kennesaw State Division I record as the KSU women's basketball team won its third contest in a row with a, 79-56, win over Mercer Wednesday night in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
Holliday, who scored 29 points on the evening, matched the school's all-time record for 3-pointers in a game, set by Joanna Cuprys Jan. 4, 1997. The sophomore launched 19 shots from beyond the arc on the night, setting a new school record.
"I'm happy to find out that my name is going in the record book," said Holliday of her performance.
The Lady Owls (6-12, 3-7) led for nearly the duration of the contest, buoyed by Holliday's five 3-pointers in the first half. KSU shot 15-of-34 as a team in the opening half, but also grabbed eight rebounds that led to 14 second-chance points. The Lady Owls led by as many as 15 in the first half after a 3-pointer by Holliday with 5:11 enabled KSU to double-up the Bears, 30-15.
When Holliday wasn't draining the money ball, Sametria Gideon was working hard in the paint for the Lady Owls. Gideon had one of her best all-around performances in a KSU uniform, scoring 17 points, grabbing 17 rebounds, blocking five Mercer shots, dishing out three assists and taking three steals in 35 minutes of action.
The Lady Owls also had a season-high 23 assists, with Angie Smith setting a new KSU D-I record with nine in the contest. Six different players had an assist for the Lady Owls, including four from Christie Leverette.
Mercer (1-18, 1-9) cut the KSU led to seven in the second half, 50-43, after a jumper by Brittnee Hazel. The Lady Owls proceeded to go on a, 15-0, run over 3:09 to put the game out of reach. Gideon had five points in the run, while Tamasha Bolden had four, with Holliday and Smith each draining a 3-pointer. From there, KSU would lead by at least 20 points for the final 20 minutes of the contest.
"This was the most complete game we've played all season," said KSU head coach Colby Tilley. "We're finally starting to play the way we know we're capable of playing. We were good offensively. Defensively, we held Mercer to 56 points. I couldn't be more pleased with how we performed tonight."
Alex Phillips had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears, while Briana Williams scored a team-high 17 points and Brittnee Hazel added 16.
After sweeping all three games of their homestand, the Lady Owls will begin the second-half of the A-Sun schedule this Saturday at East Tennessee State. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
