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KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State women's basketball dropped only its second game at home in the friendly confines of the KSU Convocation Center as the Owls fell to Jacksonville, 78-64, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 31) to close out the first half of Atlantic Sun Conference action.
 
"I have to give credit to Jacksonville," said head coach Nitra Perry. "They just out-played us, out-toughed us when it counted. We knew this was a team that depended a lot on creating turnovers to get points and I felt like that run in the first half where we turned it over three or four times in a row really broke our back early and we never could quite get that momentum back."
 
Sophomore Deandrea Sawyers led the Owls (14-8, 3-4) with 15 points and seven rebounds, while senior Kristina Wells registered her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocks.
 
Sophomore Aareon Smith added 14 points and seven rebounds in the setback, with junior Jasmine McAllister pouring in 12.
 
After a fast start put the Owls up 8-1 at the 16:52 mark of the first half, the Dolphins (7-13, 2-5) used an 11-4 run to even the game at 12-12. The two teams traded the lead back-and-forth over the next several minutes, before KSU took a 24-21 advantage heading into the final minutes of the first half.
 
The Dolphins then closed the period with a 14-1 run, as the Owls went scoreless until junior Karly Frye hit one-of-two free throws with four seconds left on the clock to send KSU into the break down 35-25.  
 
Trailing by 14 with just over nine minutes left in the game, KSU cut its deficit in half with a 10-3 run to bring the Owls within 64-57 with six minutes to go.
 
JU responded by scoring 10-straight points to halt the Owl momentum, before going on for the 78-64 victory.
 
The Owls' cold shooting continued on Saturday, as KSU went 18-of-58 for 31 percent, while the Dolphins shot 46.2 percent on 30-of-65 shooting.
 
KSU was forced into 18 turnovers, with JU capitalizing on them for 18 points.
 
KSU dropped the rebounding battle, 45-42, but had 16 offensive boards in the loss.
 
The Dolphins put five players in double figures, led by a double-double effort from Kayla Gordon with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kimberly Dawkins added 10 points and 12 boards for the visitors.
 
The Owls will break for a week before starting the second half of conference action against USC Upstate as KSU closes a three-game home stand on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 12 p.m. ET in the KSU Convocation Center.
 
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.