DeLand, Fla. – Making her first start at the point guard position this year, Aisha Turner scored a career-high 24 points, adding six assists and five rebounds, as Stetson defeated rival UCF 83-68 Wednesday night at the Edmunds Center.
The Hatters (4-3) shot 48 percent from the floor and 87 percent from the free throw line to defeat the Knights (3-4) for the second year in a row.
“I thought Aisha Turner carried us in the first half,” Stetson head coach Lynn Bria said. “She hit two or three big shots at the end of the shot clock. That's just making a play.”
Turner scored 17 of her points in the opening 20 minutes on 8-for-11 shooting. She was also 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the game's final 1:20 to help seal the victory.
“I don't know, I guess I was just feeling it, but my teammates were helping me,” Turner said about her first half performance. “We knew we needed to bounce back from the Puerto Rico trip.”
Brianti Saunders scored 15 points, leaving her just one point shy of 1000 for her career. Breana Bey also scored 15 points, including six straight to start the fourth quarter. DeAsia Beal added 12 points, seven steals, and four assists while playing a career-high 36 minutes.
“DeAsia is probably our most improved player,” Bria said. “When she stays within what she does well, she is a great player. She is someone we know we can count on.”
After two narrow losses in the San Juan Shootout where the Hatters came up a play or two short, Wednesday proved to be a much different story in the second half.
“I thought we executed much better defensively,” Bria said. “We did get stops when we needed it. Then I thought making the free throws was key because you have to knock those down to keep that cushion.”
Zykira Lewis had 22 points to lead the Knights.
The Hatters will host Flagler (3-1) at 11:00 a.m. Friday for the annual Volusia County Schoolchildren Day at the Edmunds Center.
One Milestone Down
Although Brianti Saunders came up one point shy of 1000 for her career, she did knock down her 100th career 3-pointer in the first half. She is one of seven Hatters all-time to hit 100 3-point field goals.
Home Cooking
Stetson improved to 60-6 in its last 66 home games ... The Hatters have won 26 straight regular season non-conference games at home.
Forcing Turnovers
The Hatters collected 11 steals and helped force 20 UCF turnovers, which Bria said was another key to the team maintaining its cushion in the second half.
Clutch Threes
With the Hatters struggling to get the offense going in the third quarter, freshman Ida Andersson came off the bench to swish in her first two 3-point field goal attempts.
