Nashville, Tenn. ? Freshman guard Jessica Bivins (Orlando, Fla.) scored a career-high 20 points and senior point guard Sharnesha Smith (Kingsland, Ga.) notched her second 10-assist game of the season, but it was not quite enough to bring the Stetson women's basketball team (5-7, 2-1 Atlantic Sun) a victory at the Curb Center Saturday afternoon.  Belmont defeated the Hatters 63-60 to improve to 8-4 overall and 3-0 in the A-Sun.

A Bivins three-pointer with approximately 3:30 remaining drew Stetson even at 55-55.  After an exchange of baskets, the score was tied when sophomore guard Tierra Brown (Orlando, Fla.) fouled out with 1:17 to go, sending Bruin forward Haley Nelson to the line for a one and one.  She made them both to put Belmont ahead by two.

Stetson had the ball in the final minute down 59-58 with a chance to take the lead, but could not get a good shot off.  Forced to foul with the shot clock off and watch Amber Rockwell convert two free throws, junior forward Ashli Jackson (Opelika, Ala.) then buried a mid-range jumper with 9.6 seconds left to bring the Hatters within 61-60.  Rockwell was fouled again and for the second time sank them both to restore the lead to three.  Smith got an open look from the top of the key in the final seconds, but her three-pointer missed left.

Bivins shot 50 percent from the floor (9-18) to lead all scorers while sophomore guard Brittany Carannante (Clearwater, Fla.) scored in double figures for the fourth time in the last five games, finishing with 12 points thanks to a perfect 4-4 day from three-point land.  Bivins, Jackson and sophomore forward Jessica Conner (Cocoa, Fla.) tied for the Hatter lead with six rebounds.  Conner had seven points and Smith tallied six.  Senior center Ayesha Barkley (East Orange, N.J.) blocked two shots to tie Kaisa Tuure '02 for third place on the Stetson all-time list (77 career rejections).

Rockwell led the Bruins to the win with 19 points and forward Jessica Bobbitt contributed a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double with two blocks.

The game was tied 38-38 coming out of the locker room, but the Hatters could only watch as Amber Rockwell and LaWanna Holiday drilled three-pointers to give Belmont a six-point edge.  Stetson did not score for the first 7:11 of the half and did not make a field goal after halftime until the 11:54 mark.  Fortunately for Stetson, Belmont suffered similar scoring problems, so the Hatters trailed by just three (44-41) with 11:30 to play.

Back-to-back three-pointers gave Stetson its first lead of the second half with just under 10 minutes left, although the Bruins soon took it back.  In stark contrast to the free-wheeling pace of the first 20 minutes, the first 14 minutes of the second half resulted in a total of just 30 points scored.

The early minutes of the game were marked by fast-paced action and good ball movement at both ends of the floor.  Each team had a short burst as the Hatters led 13-9 six minutes into the game.  A 12-2 Belmont spurt thereafter put the Bruins ahead by six with 12 minutes left in the half, but the Hatters responded to that by scoring seven straight points of their own to take a 22-21 lead with 7:31 remaining before halftime.

Although Belmont went right back to work with a 7-0 run to take the lead by six, the Hatters came right back at the home team to tie the game, setting the stage for a very exciting final two minutes of the half.  Both squads consistently answered the other with big baskets, punctuated by Carannante's perfectly stroked three-pointer at the buzzer off a pass from Conner.  That three, her third of the half, tied the game 38-38 at intermission.

Bivins and Rockwell held their own personal scoring duel, finishing with an equal 12 points leading Stetson and Belmont, respectively.  Carrannante had nine points while Smith notched six points and seven assists.  Bobbitt scored eight points for the Bruins.

Stetson's six-game roadstand concludes Monday evening right here in Nashville at Allen Arena against Lipscomb.  Tip-off is at 6 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Eastern with Murray Miller calling the action on Hatter Vision at www.GoHatters.com, the official online home of Stetson Athletics.  A-Sun.TV is also available for Monday's game.