KENNESAW, Ga. - The resilient Kennesaw State Owls (3-6) fell short to the Belmont Bruins (7-3) Sunday afternoon, 65-54, despite another electric performance from
Prencis Harden inside the KSU Convocation Center.
Harden finished with 17 points and finished one rebound short of tying her career-high and a double-double with nine. It was her 11th double-digit-scoring game of her KSU career.
Junior
Morgan Dillard shined on the home court as well with 10 points and four boards of her own.
38 of KSU's 54 points were scored inside the paint. The Bruins were KSU's 11th-consecutive opponent with a record of .500 or better dating back to last season.
Kennesaw State held a close opening period against the Bruins, trailing 15-14 with nine lead changes.
Carly Hooks led the Owls on the court through the first 10 minutes with eight points and two rebounds.
KSU's 14 points in the frame were more than the Bruins allowed against Georgia on Nov. 10 (6), Mississippi State on Nov. 19 (13), Troy on Nov. 29 (10) and the Owls' future Conference USA foe Middle Tennessee State on Dec. 3 (12).
Belmont defeated UGA by 26 in their meeting earlier this season.
She recorded her second assist of the game in the second, moving into ninth in the Kennesaw State women's basketball Division I career list with 162.
The Atlanta native, along with fellow captain Harden, led the Owls in first half scoring with eight points.
Belmont pulled away in the second quarter to take a 35-23 lead into the halfway mark.
Kailyn Fields and Harden led a quick start for KSU in the second half, cutting the Belmont lead to six within the first three minutes. Harden added seven more points to her Sunday total in the frame while freshman
Trynce Taylor posted six.
The resurgent KSU offense kept pace with the Bruins for the remainder of the third quarter and only trailed 51-42 headed to the fourth.
KSU's 19 third-quarter points were the fourth-most Belmont had allowed in that period this season, behind only Missouri (22), No. 4/3 Stanford (21) and Northwestern (20). The Owls shot 72.7% from the floor.
Only two points separated the two squads in the fourth quarter but it was enough for Belmont to secure the 65-54 victory.
KSU is back on the court Wednesday, Dec. 20 vs. San Diego State at the West Palm Beach Classic in West Palm Beach, Fla. Tip-off is set for 1:15 p.m.
The Owls return to the Convo on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 7:00 p.m. for the final home game of 2023 against the Georgetown Hoyas. Fans can purchase tickets
here.
