Johnson City, Tenn. - For the second time in the last four games, the overtime breaks went against the Hatters as the Stetson women's basketball team (6-9, 2-4 Atlantic Sun) fell 78-74 in overtime at three-time defending A-Sun champions East Tennessee State (7-8, 4-2 A-Sun) on Monday. Sophomore guard Victoria McGowan (Inkster, Mich.) led the Hatters with 22 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals.
A tight game early was briefly broken open by the Hatters, who got steals and transition layups on three straight possessions to go up by eight with 10:30 left in the first half, but ETSU would eventually catch back up and send the game to halftime tied 27-27.
The home team's massive rebounding advantage enabled it to start numerous run-outs in the second half, although at times the game resembled a 94-foot layup drill with transition baskets aplenty for both the Hatters and the Lady Bucs.
Stetson was able to jump out to a 57-50 second half lead, but ETSU came back with a 9-0 run to take the lead with 6:40 remaining. McGowan tied it 59-all on a transition layup with 5:40 to go and the rest of regulation played out as a back-and-forth prize fight.
McGowan and senior guard Tierra Brown (Orlando, Fla.) combined to make four straight free throws in the final minute and the Hatters thought they were in the clear with a 69-65 lead with 40 seconds to play, but ETSU senior guard Tara Davis made a layup and then, with just three seconds left, sank the game-tying free throws following an ill-timed Stetson foul in the backcourt.
Stetson could not get a shot off before the buzzer sounded and it never caught up in overtime after a Gwen Washington bucket 24 seconds into the extra session. McGowan knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key at the 1:27 mark that cut the deficit to 76-74, but the Hatters came no closer. Tosha Austin sealed the game for ETSU with her two free throws with eight seconds left in overtime.
Brown scored 19 points on seven of 11 shooting and was perfect (4-4) from the free throw line while senior forward Jessica Conner (Cocoa, Fla.) also reached double figures with 12 points.
Davis carried ETSU to victory with 27 points and five assists, using 15-18 free throw shooting to do so. Destiny Mitchell contributed a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double and Natalie Pickwell scored 11 points for the Lady Bucs; Austin tied Mitchell on the glass with 11 rebounds.
Stetson will return home for a pair of A-Sun contests, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Mercer at the Edmunds Center. Live Stats and Hatter Vision with Bill Topping and Dee Romine will be available at GoHatters.com, the official online home of Stetson Athletics.
STETSON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook - Stetson Athletics; Twitter - @StetsonSID; YouTube channel - StetsonHatters
