Wilmington, N.C. -- Another close game, another dramatic finish, and another Hatter hero.
DeAsia Beal's 3-pointer from the right corner with 10.8 seconds left helped lift Stetson 52-49 victory over host UNCW Tuesday afternoon at Trask Coliseum.
Brianti Saunders scored 18 points as the Hatters (7-3) won their fourth game in a row.
With the score tied at 47 and the clock winding down, Aisha Turner found Beal open in the corner, and the Hatter junior pulled the trigger on the game-winning shot.
“I felt it was in, but you are never really sure,” Beal said after the game. “I always think that someone has to hit a game-winner. Those are the best shots. When I released it, I was praying it would go in, and it went in.”
“I'd love to say it's exactly how I drew it up, but I am not going to say that,” Stetson head coach Lynn Bria said. “Aisha penetrated the lane and did a good job of making a play. She found DeAsia. We always tell them take the shot because if it's a good shot, we want them taking it. DeAsia hit a huge shot for us, she really did.”
UNCW cut the lead to 50-49 on a lay-up with six seconds to play, but Saunders sunk two free throws in the closing seconds to nail down the victory.
Despite leading for most of the game, Stetson had to rally from a late 45-43 deficit. Breana Bey tied the game with a lay-up at the 1:33 mark, and Saunders gave Stetson a momentary 47-45 lead with two free throws with 53 seconds left.
“We probably had three really big plays,” Bria said. “We do the end of game situations in practice. Sometimes they get a little goofy and I get mad at them, but I think now they understand why they are so important.
“I was real proud of our kids. They knew what to do at the end.”
It was Stetson's second straight road victory in the final seconds following Sunday's 68-66 win at Eastern Illinois. Bey hit two late free throws in that game to secure the victory.
Jasmine Steele led UNCW (3-4) with 19 points.
Stetson will return home to host the Hatter Classic next weekend. The Hatters will face Georgia Southern on Sunday and Georgia State on Monday.
Notes: The game drew an an Elementary School Day crowd of 4,893 ... It was Stetson's second win over UNCW in as many years ... Brianti Saunders extended her double figures scoring streak to 11 games ... The Hatters set a season defensive record by holding UNCW to just two points in the first quarter.
