DeLand, Fla. ? Although the Stetson women's basketball team (4-18, 2-7 Atlantic Sun) outscored visiting Belmont (11-11, 5-4 A-Sun) by nine points in the second half, it was not nearly enough to make up a 20-point halftime deficit as the Hatters fell to the Bruins 74-63 at the Edmunds Center Monday evening. Junior guard Sharnesha Smith (Kingsland, Ga.) tied her season high with 20 points to pace Stetson.
Down by as many as 24 points with 12:12 left in the game, Stetson chipped away using full-court pressure to cut the Belmont lead down to as little as 10, but not enough time remained for the Hatters to get any closer. Belmont shot 55.3 percent from the floor (26-47) to become the first Stetson opponent since Georgia State on March 12, 2005 to top the 55 percent mark.
Smith made seven of her 14 field goal attempts, including three of five from beyond the arc, to record her second 20-point game in her last three outings. Smith also handed out four assists and recorded two steals. Sophomore forward Ashli Jackson (Opelika, Ala.) added nine points while freshman center Jessica Conner (Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa HS) tallied eight points and five rebounds. Freshman guard Brittany Carannante (Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater HS) tied her career high with seven rebounds to go along with her six points.
Belmont center Jessica Bobbitt tallied a double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) to key the Bruins while forward Brooke Sunday scored a game-high 19 points, pulled down four rebounds and handed out five assists. Guard Shaunda Strayhorn joined them in double figures with 10 points, also adding five assists and four rebounds.
The game started auspiciously for the Hatters as they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, but a 21-9 Belmont run in the next seven minutes gave the Bruins a lead they would not relinquish. A later Bruin hot streak of 21-11 put the visitors ahead by 22 and they coasted into the locker room at halftime ahead 53-33.
Belmont shot a scorching 19-26 (.737) from the floor in the first half while the Hatters made 50 percent of their field goal attempts as well (13-26). Smith had 11 points for Stetson while Bobbitt had 12 and Sunday 11 for the Bruins.
The Hatters continue their three-game homestand Saturday at 3 p.m. against East Tennessee State. Bill Topping will call the action with video available through Hatter Vision on the official website of Stetson Athletics, www.gohatters.com.
