By: by KSU Sports Information
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Five players scored 10 or more points and Sametria Gideon and Lisa Capellan each had double-doubles as the Kennesaw State women's basketball team earned its first win of the season with a, 68-48, win over Gardner-Webb at Paul Porter Arena Tuesday night.
"Sametria and Lisa really worked well together," said KSU head coach Colby Tilley. "I think tonight says a lot about the character of our team. They came out and won the first game on the road this year. When they make up their mind that they want to work hard and compete, they can play with anybody in our conference."
The Lady Owls (1-1) never trailed as Gideon and Capellan combined to score 10 of the first 14 points of the contest. With KSU up 10-6, Kristina Wells sparked an, 11-4, run to push the lead into double digits. The momentum continued to build for the Lady Owls, as the shots from long range started to fall. Ashley Holliday connected on three straight 3-pointers for KSU as the lead swelled up to 20, 32-12. KSU would lead, 39-23, after the first 20 minutes of action.
Gardner-Webb (0-2) pulled within 10 in the second half, but the Lady Owls kept working to salt the game away. Four different Lady Owls scored during a 10-0 spurt as KSU regained a 20-point lead, 53-33, with just under 10 minutes to go in the contest. The lead would be built as high as 24 after a Kristina Wells fast break lay-up with just under three minutes to go gave KSU a, 65-41, advantage. GWU pulled within 18 late, but Nicole Adams connected on a 3-pointer with less than 90 seconds left to complete KSU's scoring and give the Lady Owls a, 68-48, win.
Gideon led all scorers with 17 points, going 8-of-12 from the field. The Madison, Ala., native also had a game-high 11 rebounds while blocking three shots and collecting two steals. Capellan had her first collegiate double-double, setting a new career-best in points with 12 and adding 10 rebounds.
Holliday finished the night with 14 points and a game-best six steals. Taylor Mills had 10 points and also dished out six assists. Wells scored in double figures for the first time in her collegiate career, netting 10 points and falling one rebound short of a double-double.
KSU scored 21 points off of GWU's 22 turnovers. The Lady Owls turned the ball over just 11 times and had 15 assists as a team. While both teams had 46 rebounds, KSU had the advantage on the offensive glass, 20-14, and turned that total into 23 second chance points.
"Defensively, we were working hard and forcing bad passes. We forced Gardner-Webb to make bad decisions with the basketball and we did a great job of protecting the ball ourselves," Coach Tilley stated. "This may have been the best defensive effort we have had as a team in a very long time."
The Lady Owls will try for their second straight victory when they host Jacksonville State this Saturday at the KSU Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
