By: by KSU Sports Information
KENNESAW, Ga. - Elaina Gray had a career-high 19 points and Chelcey Farrar had 10 points in her first action of the season, but a turnover on the final play of the game cost the Kennesaw State women's basketball team a chance at overtime as the Lady Owls fell, 72-70, to Texas State at the KSU Convocation Center Monday night.
"It was a very evenly-matched game, but it's a game that I thought we just didn't make the plays we needed to make to win," said KSU head coach Colby Tilley. "We had too many mental mistakes tonight as a team. We have to maintain focus for a full 40 minutes if we expect to be successful in our conference."
Trailing 72-65 with just over two minutes left in the contest, the Lady Owls mounted a rally but couldn't draw the game even for a final time. A 3-point play by Gray with 1:54 to go brought KSU within four points. After a Texas State turnover on the other end, Gray drained a jumper to bring KSU within two with 1:27 to go in the game.
Gray's jumper would prove to be the final made basket of the night. Both teams missed chances to score, and with four seconds left, the Lady Owls inbounded next to their bench. The play was executed to near perfection, as if the pass for Gray had been successful, the sophomore would have had a lay-up to send the game into overtime. However, the pass was down at Gray's feet and was swatted away by the Bobcats, allowing the visitors to steal the victory.
The contest was played very evenly throughout, but Texas State led for most of the contest after wrestling an early two-point edge away from KSU. The Bobcats led by 10 with just under five minutes left in the opening 20, but KSU rallied with a 10-2 run to go into the locker room down just two, 46-44.
Texas State (5-4) led by as many as nine in the second half, but the Lady Owls would rally to take a slim lead. Trailing 53-44, a 6-0 run by the Lady Owls pulled KSU back within three. Down 60-55, Taylor Mills started another 6-0 spurt with a lay-up that ended when Lisa Capellan's jumper gave the Lady Owls the lead again, 61-60. The lead would be the final one of the night for the Black and Gold, as a 9-2 run by Texas State gave the visitors the lead for good.
The Lady Owls (4-7) got 13 points from Taylor Mills and 10 each from Chelcey Farrar and Sametria Gideon. Capellan set new career-highs in rebounds with 11 and assists with six. Kristina Wells had a game-high three steals.
Texas State was led by Ashley Ezeh, who had a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds. The Bobcats had fewer made field goals, fewer points in the paint, and fewer points off turnovers than Kennesaw State, but Texas State went 14-of-20 at the free-throw line, compared to just 10-of-13 for KSU.
The Lady Owls will be back in action again Wednesday night at Troy. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. EDT, with live audio available on KSU All-Access beginning at 7:50 p.m.
