KENNESAW, Ga, - Kennesaw State (10-16, 6-7 Atlantic Sun Conference) fell to the Stetson Hatters (15-12, 10-3 ASUN), 64-54, Saturday afternoon inside the KSU Convocation Center.
Junior
Keyarah Berry led the Black and Gold with a career-best 24 points scored against the ASUN foe that included three three-pointers and seven rebounds. She shot 47% from the floor in the contest.
The Owls honored the 2023-24 senior class prior to tip-off that included
Kayla Massop,
Kyndall Golden and
Carly Hooks.
Hooks scored 14 points Saturday, now 28 points away from 1,000 in her collegiate career.
Freshman
Trynce Taylor led the Owls with eight rebounds.
Taylor went to the free throw line after two minutes into the game and scored the opening points for the Owls. She made the eighth start of her freshman campaign Saturday.
KSU's first field goal came at the hands of Harden, cutting the deficit to 4-3. A quick defensive possesion for Kennesaw State followed by a Berry trey gave the home team its first lead of the game, 6-4.
Berry's second basket broke a 7-7 tie with just over three remaining in the first, 9-7. Her five points led KSU in the quarter, helping the Owls to a 15-14 lead after the first 10 minutes.
The first four points for KSU in the second came via free throws before a Hooks bucket put the Owls back in front, 21-20.
Another three from Berry extended the advantage, 24-20. Stetson led 28-24 at the half after four lead changes.
The junior led Kennesaw State with 10 first-half points, securing her second game in double figures in the last three.
Hooks scored the first FG of the second half for the Owls.
After Stetson got out to its largest lead of the game, 42-34, the Owls went on a 5-0 run highlighted by Hooks' first three of the afternoon, 42-39.
The Hatters scored another bucket before the buzzer and led 44-39 after three.
Stetson's 4-0 run to open the fourth came to an end courtesy of Berry's third trey, 48-42.
On KSU's next possession, the Rockmart, Ga. native scored her career-best 18th point of the contest. She had each of the Owls' first nine fourth-quarter points.
The Hatters went up by nine, 57-48, before Hooks completed a three-point play to cut into the deficit, 57-51.
Stetson held on to the lead for remaining minutes to take the 64-54 victory.
The Owls' next regular season game inside the KSU Convocation Center will be as a member of Conference USA in the 2024-25 season.
The Black and Gold return to the court Thursday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. against the Jacksonville Dolphins. The Owls have three remaining contests in the 2023-24 regular season before the Atlantic Sun tournament in March.
