by Daniel Miller (Staff Writer)
Kristinia Wells did all she could to try and lead the Owls to victory but in the end Stetson reminded everyone Saturday afternoon in a 98-75 win at the Convocation Center why they are the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference tournament champions.
Right from the start, Stetson took control early as the Hatters raced out to an 18-0 within the opening five minutes. A Wells three pointer at the 14:50 mark put the Owls on the board. “It’s frustrating,” said head coach Nitra Perry. “ I am disappointed on how we started the game.
The game provided a classic dual between two players. Wells and the Hatters’ Amber Porter each put on a show for their respective teams as both battled each other point for point. Wells finished with 32 points along with 9 rebounds and Porter added 28 and 11.
After back-to-back three pointers by Stetson’s Jama Sharp and Sasha Sims, the Hatters found themselves ahead 28-8. After a timeout, the Owls responded with the next six points to cut it to 28-14 with 11:03 left in the half.
Throughout, Stetson (12-5, 4-1) never felt rattled as Amber Porter went on to score the next six points for the Hatters. KSU (4-13, 2-4) responded with three point baskets from Wells and Freshman guard Deandrea Sawyers, and a jumper from redshirt senior Lisa Capellan to trim the Stetson lead to 34-22 with 7:13 left in the first half.
The visitors from Deland, Florida maintained pace and went into the half leading 46-31 on fifty percent shooting from the field, and had a 28-16 advantage in rebounding.
Coach Nitra Perry said after: “I do not want to say get off the bus, but we did not get off the bus in 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.”
To start the second half, the Owls showed a lot of fight highlighted by a three pointer by Sawyers, which cut the deficit to 13, but with every KSU run, Amber Porter simply had an answer. KSU lost out 43-38 on the battle of the boards, but grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and managed to score 20 of their 25-second chance points in the second half, and played an almost even half losing the scoring edge 52-44.
Despite being down, Wells stayed on the attack for the Owls finishing with 17 second- half points. “I’m a leader so everybody looks up to me so its kind of difficult to be down” Wells said. “Coach is always telling me next possession and that’s what I live for”
However, the balanced scoring by the Hatters proved to be the difference as they cruised to a 98-75 victory. Stetson had five players scoring in double figures.
Alongside Wells, Sawyers had a solid game putting up 17 points including five three pointers, and Capellan tied her career high with six assists, while Freshman Aareon Smith added 7 rebounds with four of them being offensive.
The Owls next game is on Thursday Jan 23 at East Tennessee State as they begin a three-game road trip.
