BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | POSTGAME INTERVIEW | PHOTO GALLERY
KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State women’s basketball team remains undefeated at home in 2012 as the Owls defeated the Eagles of Georgia Southern, 53-39. Senior
Sametria Gideon led the way with her fifth double-double of the season as the she finished the game with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
The second period was the difference for the 4-7 Owls as they opened the half on an 11-0 run, led by three three-pointers from senior
Ashley Holliday (Greenville, S.C./J.L. Mann Academy) to take a 25-20 lead.
“I’m extremely pleased with the second half effort,” said Kennesaw State head coach
Nitra Perry “We’ve been playing good basketball even though it didn’t show in the win column at Texas State. Our chemistry is there and I just reminded them at halftime of why we were here and the uniforms we wear and what we represent and they responded.”
It took the Eagles six minutes before they scored their first point of the second half against the Owls defense, as KSU forced three turnovers in the process. A 7-0 run by the Eagles gave GSU the lead back with 13 minutes remaining, but the Owls would regain control as they strung together ten consecutive points to take a 36-27 lead with 8:39 remaining in the contest.
Kennesaw State continued to apply the pressure as the game entered the final two minutes, having outscored the Eagles 30-13 in the second half to cruise to the 14 point win.
“It was about confidence,” added Perry. “Everybody knows we’re going into the break and there are a lot of distractions, so just coming out and relaxing and playing our game was huge. We have knock-down shooters and things just weren’t happening the way they should have in the first half. Until we started getting our shooters going we needed to get our rebounds and Sametria did that and in that second half we showed what Kennesaw State basketball is about.”
After both teams began the night a combined 3-for-18 from the field, Gideon stepped up the offense for the Owls with three points to give the Owls a 5-4 lead. Relinquishing the lead on the next trip down the court, the Eagles strung together consecutive successful offensive possessions to take an 8-5 lead before
Bria Young (Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill HS) made a layup to cut the lead to just one.
The Eagles finished the half on a 13-5 run as Holliday netted a layup just as time expired to send the Owls to halftime down 20-14.
Holliday again finished with double-figures scoring, the third straight game she has done so, finishing with 14 points with three triples and a game-high four assists.
“I was trying to be patient out there,” said Holliday. “Coach reminded me at halftime to be confident and to let my shot work for me and not force anything and that’s what I’ve been concentrating on these last three games.”
The black and gold dominated on the boards, bringing in a season-high 46 rebounds to the Eagle’s 29 with Gideon’s 15 tops for both teams.
Kristina Wells (Douglasville, Ga./Douglas County HS) was right behind with 14 and four steals as Gideon also finished with three blocks.
Kennesaw State again played a well-disciplined game, committing just nine fouls, allowing the Eagles only three made free throws.
The Owls will break for the holiday before returning to action on Friday, Dec. 28, against Gardner Webb in the KSU Convocation Center at 7 p.m.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women’s basketball news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and
@KSUOwlsWBB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
Kennesaw State University is celebrating 30 years of intercollegiate athletics during the 2012-13 academic year.
