KENNESAW, Ga. – A fourth-quarter comeback by Kennesaw State fell short as Sam Houston State pulled away in the second half to move past KSU women's basketball, 65-53, Saturday in the KSU Convocation Center.
KSU had three players in double-figures, and held Sam Houston without a field goal over the final 7:43, but the third quarter difference proved to be too much for the Owls (9-15, 4-9 CUSA) against the Bearkats (12-11, 5-8 CUSA).
Harden paved the way with a game-high 18 points while leading the Owls with seven rebounds. Keyarah Berry (14) and Keiara Griffin (12) joined Harden in leading the Owls' effort.
First Half:
Harden scored the contest's first point at the charity stripe with 7:54 in the first quarter that set the pace for a 7-8 team effort in the stanza. The Owls found themselves down 10-5 at the media break but regrouped for a late-quarter run where they hit four of the last six shots to tie the game at 17 after the first quarter. KSU shared the ball well. Excluding a last-second shot, KSU assisted on three of its five made field goals.
The second quarter continued as an entertaining CUSA contest as both squads traded buckets. Sam Houston carried a 36-32 advantage going into intermission after both teams shot at least 40% in the quarter. The first half featured a whopping 13 lead changes and seven ties, providing a captivating back-and-forth affair.
Kailyn Fields scored five in the frame to lead KSU. She knocked down both of her attempts, including KSU's only three-ball of the first half. Harden led the Owls into halftime with 11 points on a 4-9 field-goal shooting effort. Griffin converted on four of her final five shots in the half to register eight points
Second Half:
The third quarter began with an inspired defensive effort. KSU erased the short halftime deficit with six consecutive points thanks to a Morgan Dillard steal that turned into an assist to Harden at the 7:35 mark.
The visitors rallied back. Sam Houston went on a 12-0 run over the last 6:23 of the quarter to stretch its lead to 51-40 going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, the Owls chipped into what turned into a 17-point deficit. A 9-0 run over 5:15 warranted a Bearkat timeout. KSU trimmed the score to 61-53 thanks to six points from Berry on a pair of field goals and free throws.
The Bearkats iced the game at the free throw line. KSU's defense held Sam Houston without a field goal over the final 7:43, but the Bearkats were a perfect 6-6 at the line in the fourth quarter.
Game Notes:
- Griffin has now scored in double-figures in nine of the last 11 games.
- Harden nears the 1,000-point milestone in her career with 991 points.
- Harden and Sam Houston's Nyla Inmon each went 8-10 in free-throw shooting.
- The Owls scored 34 of their 53 points in the paint, six more than the Bearkats.
- The Owls out-rebounded Sam Houston on the offensive end, 13-6.
Up Next:
The Owls are back on the road at UTEP for a 9:00 P.M. ET tip Thursday, Feb. 20. Fans can purchase tickets for KSU's next home game Thursday, Feb. 27 for Pink Day against FIU HERE!
