DeLand, Fla. - Junior center Natasha Graboski (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) notched her first double-double in a Hatter uniform with 11 points and 10 rebounds while freshman forward Janelle Mills (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) scored eight points and grabbed 11 rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double herself, to lead the Stetson women's basketball team (6-22, 6-13 Atlantic Sun) to a 56-45 win over visiting Lipscomb (4-24, 2-16 A-Sun) Saturday afternoon at the Edmunds Center. Senior guard Tierra Brown (Orlando, Fla.) was Stetson's leading scorer with 12 points.
The victory clinched Stetson's place in the upcoming General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Championships March 3-6 at the University Center in Macon, Ga. Stetson will extend its streak of appearances in the A-Sun Tournament to seven consecutive years.
The Hatters jumped out to a 7-0 lead as freshman guard Dashauna Truss (Jacksonville, Fla.) hit a three-pointer and a two-point field goal to spark the early run. Although Lipscomb would come back and go ahead 11-10, Brown reclaimed the lead for Stetson with a bucket in the paint off a pass from sophomore guard Lyllique Roman (Poinciana, Fla.) with 11:37 left in the half. The Hatters would never relinquish the lead, taking an eight-point lead (28-20) into the locker room and not letting Lipscomb closer than two points in the second half.
The Lady Bisons cut the deficit to 32-30 approximately five minutes into the second half but Stetson went on a 13-2 run to restore its lead to double digits for the rest of the game. The Hatters led by 10 points or more for most of the final eight minutes.
Graboski and Mills led Stetson to the win with consistent quality play inside, combining for 19 points and 21 rebounds on 50 percent shooting. The scoring and rebounding totals for Mills were both career highs. Truss finished with eight points, four rebounds and four steals. Jenna Bartsokas provided nearly 50 percent of Lipscomb's offense by herself, scoring 21 points on nine of 17 shooting.
The Hatters conclude the regular season Saturday, February 27 at USC Upstate. Tip-off from the Hodge Center is at 3 p.m.; the contest will be broadcast on A-Sun.TV.
