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KENNESAW, Ga. – Even with a career-day from junior guard Kristina Wells, the Kennesaw State women's basketball team fell to defending Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament champion Stetson, 98-75, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18) at the KSU Convocation Center.
 
"It's frustrating," said head coach Nitra Perry. "I am disappointed on how we started the game. I do not want to say get off the bus, but we did not get off the bus the first few minutes of the first half. We won the last twelve minutes of the first half. I am just trying to get us to a maturity level that we have to show up all day, every day. That was the defending tournament champion, so it is disappointing."
 
The Owls drop to 4-13 on the season and 2-4 in league play, while the Hatters improve to 12-5 and 4-1 in conference standings.
 
Wells put in a career and game-high 32 points, including four three-pointers and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. She added nine rebounds for the Owls. Freshman guard Deandrea Sawyers continued her strong shooting from behind the arc with 17 points and five three-pointers in the loss.
 
The Hatters opened the game with an 18-0 start in the first five minutes of play before a three-pointer from Wells put the Owls on the board with 14:50 remaining in the first.
 
After back-to-back Hatter three-pointers to give Stetson its largest lead of the half at 28-8, the Owls scored the next six points to cut it to 28-14 with just over 11 minutes left in the period.
 
The visitors again sprinted ahead by 20, when KSU used treys by Wells and Sawyers and a jumper from redshirt-senior forward Lisa Capellan to cut the Stetson lead to 12 at 34-22 with 7:13 on the clock.
 
With just under four minutes left in the half, the Owls put together a 7-0 run, highlighted by a Sawyers three to pull within 43-31 with under a minute remaining. The Hatters responded with a pair of free throws and a jumper to take a 46-31 half time lead.
 
Out of the break the Owls continued to battle, cutting the Stetson lead to 13 at 53-40 in the opening minutes of the second half, but a 14-4 run by the Hatters over the next four minutes killed the KSU momentum.
 
The Owls brought it down to 19 after a jumper from freshman forward Aareon Smith, starting off a 4-0 run from Smith with 11 to go in regulation. Smith then rebounded her own miss and put it back up for layup to bring the Stetson lead down to 17 at 69-52 with 10 minutes remaining.
 
Despite the deficit Wells continued to play hard, turning in 17 second half points, but the effort would not be enough as the Hatters cruised to the 98-75 victory.
 
"I have been extremely proud of her," Perry said of Wells. "She has been the most consistent player on our team as far as her energy level. I feel like her energy level is what has produced the points. She is always in a battle for a rebound when we need it. Against Florida Gulf Coast, she took a huge charge when we needed it. I keep saying this story over and over, but against FGCU we were in a time out and it was a four point ball game. I said 'Somebody needs to take a charge' and she said 'Coach, I got you.' After that timeout she went and took a charge. That is true leadership, I am just so proud of how she has grown in these last few months."
 
Capellan tied her career-high with six assists in the contest, while junior forward Valescia Dixon added seven rebounds, including four on the offensive end, for the Owls.
 
The Owls posted their best free throw percentage of the season at 92.3 percent, going 12-of-13 from the charity stripe, but were unable to slow the strong Hatter offense as they shot 56.9 percent for the game.
 
KSU fell on the battle of the glass, 43-38, but grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, which the Owls converted into 25 second chance points.
 
Stetson put five players in double figures, led by Amber Porter, who registered a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with three blocks.
 
The Owls next begin a three-game road swing, traveling to Johnson City, Tenn., for a 4 p.m. ET contest against East Tennessee State on Thursday, Jan. 23.
 
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.
 
Season and single game tickets are currently available for all the home court action for the Owls and can be purchased by following the link HERE.
 
 

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