DeLand, Fla. -- In a seesaw affair that featured several scoring runs for both teams, Stetson came up one point short in a 67-66 decision versus Richmond in the first round of the WNIT Friday night at the Edmunds Center.
Brianti Saunders led all scorers with 20 points, but it was Genevieve Okoro's 19-point, 13-rebound performance for the Spiders (19-13) that proved to be the difference in the game.
“I thought overall our defense was pretty good,” Stetson head coach Lynn Bria said. “We did a good job on their main scorers, but I thought (Okoro) just killed us on the glass in the second half. If we limit her offensive rebounds, then we probably we win the game.”
Stetson (23-8) led 33-29 at the half, but a back-and-forth final 20 minutes saw the lead change hands five times. The Hatters trailed 56-54 with 7:15 to play when Amber Porter hit a lay-up to tie the score. Saunders then knocked down a pair of free throws, and Jama Sharp buried a 3-pointer from the right corner to put Stetson up five at the 4:04 mark.
Okoro took over for Richmond, scoring a pair of baskets in the next 1:30, and Lauren Tolson gave the Spiders a lead they would not relinquish with 1:33 to play.
Stetson shot 43 percent from the field while holding Richmond to just 36 percent shooting. The Spiders owned a 41-36 advantage on the glass, and they tallied 21 second chance points off of 18 offensive rebounds.
Myeisha Hall scored 18 points, and Jama Sharp added 10. Porter finished with four blocked shots.
The Hatters completed their 2015 season with a 23-8 record, tying for the third-highest win total in school history.
Stetson's senior class of Cherisse Burris, C.J. Coddington, Hall and Sharp compiled 97 wins during their four seasons with the program. The past four years have been the four winningest seasons in school history.
“It speaks for itself in regards to their commitment to the program and what they have done for the program,” Bria said about the 97 wins from the seniors. “You can't take it away, you can't deny that, and you can't say anything but wow.”
Notes: Jama Sharp finished her career among Stetson's all-time leaders in points (1,261, 12th), 3-point field goals (167, 3rd), assists (441, 5th), steals (291, 4th), games played (133, 2nd), and minutes (3810, 3rd). She also finished with 497 rebounds ... C.J. Coddington finished her career with 739 points, 409 rebounds, 196 assists, and 163 steals. She ranked third in school history with 132 games played ... Myeisha Hall completed her Stetson career with 627 points, 276 rebounds, and 101 assists. Her 92 3-pointers rank ninth all-time in school history ... Cherisse Burris finished her career with 947 points, 577 rebounds, 106 assists, and 99 steals. Her .493 field goal percentage ranks ninth all-time in school history.
