By: by Jason Hanes
KENNESAW, Ga. - Sametria Gideon scored a career-high 22 points and added 16 rebounds as the Kennesaw State women's basketball team fell, 65-52, to Stetson on Saturday afternoon in Atlantic Sun Conference action at the KSU Convocation Center in front of 1,077 fans.
"We just didn't play hard enough," said KSU head coach Colby Tilley. "We're in a fight to try to make the conference tournament, so we can't afford to have games where we just don't have the effort to win."
The Lady Owls (7-16, 4-11) led by as many as eight in the first half, as a 5-0 spurt on points from Gideon and Lisa Capellan gave KSU a, 15-7, lead. Stetson would score the next eight points to tie the score, but KSU re-established the lead on a Christine Wylie lay-up. After the Hatters (13-11, 9-6) knotted the score again, the Lady Owls stretched the lead back up to four, 21-17, on a pair of lay-ups by Capellan and Gideon.
The lead would soon evaporate, however, for the Lady Owls. Stetson would regain the lead, 25-24, with 2:27 left in the opening half. Gideon gave the Lady owls the lead back, 26-25, with her 15th point of the first half. The Hatters would score the final bucket of the opening stanza to take a, 27-26, lead into the locker room.
KSU regain the lead with the opening bucket of the second half on a fast-break basket by Capellan, but that would prove to be the final time the Lady Owls would lead on the afternoon. Stetson would go on a, 17-5, run to take the lead by a dozen, 44-32.
The Lady Owls didn't go down without a fight, as a quick six points by KSU cut Stetson's lead down to four, 54-50. Unfortunately for the home team, the momentum wouldn't continue. Much like in the first meeting between the schools in DeLand, Fla., Stetson would score 11 of the last 13 points of the game to take the victory.
"They closed out on our wing players and denied them the opportunity to get open," said Gideon about Stetson's defense after the game. "It was a tough night for our post players as well."
Gideon had recorded her 10th double-double of the season by halftime with 15 points and 10 rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Capellan joined Gideon in double-figures in scoring with a career-best 10 points.
Stetson was led by a trio of players in double-figures, as Natasha Graboski and Tierra Brown each scored 17 while Victoria McGowan added 10. Graboski completed a double-double for the Hatters with 14 rebounds to lead her squad.
The Lady Owls will be back in action with a Valentine's Night contest against Florida Gulf Coast. Tipoff at the KSU Convocation Center is set for 7 p.m.
