DELAND, Fla. – Hatter women's basketball started and finished the game cold from the floor as Stetson fell to Denver, 62-59, Friday night in the Edmunds Center.
Stetson drops to .500, 4-4 while Denver (3-5) picks up its first win on the road.

The game started out rough for the Hatters, as the visitors scored the first 11 points in the contest, prompting a timeout from Stetson head coach Lynn Bria. Stetson turned the game around in it as Jaelyn Talley scored the first bucket of the night for the home team in the first quarter as the home team reeled off seven-straight points to get back into the game. The quarter ended with the Pios up eight, 17-9.

In the second quarter, Dejaan Schuler quickly put the Hats into the game with a hot hand from behind the arc, draining three threes over the quarter. The Hats though steadily pushing up were still behind by five, 31-26, at halftime.

The Pioneers held off Stetson's advances through the third quarter of the home side cut the deficit to a single possession on four occasions over the frame that ended at 43-41.

Talley converted a layup 10 seconds into the period to tie the game and Jordan Peete followed that up with a three a minute in to give Stetson its first lead of the game. SU built an eight-point advantage, 59-51, but the shooting from the floor went cold as the Hatters did not make a field goal in the final 4:27, with the visitors doing just enough to get past the eight points with the final score reading 62-59.

Talley tied her career high for the third time with 17 points and seven points, both team highs. Schuler notched double-digit points for the first time in a Hatter uniform with 11 points off of four field goals, three from beyond the arc. Kiya Turner had a game-high six assists and four steals. The senior guard also pulled down four rebounds with six points.

Hatters will be playing against the Florida State Seminoles next. The game will take place Sunday at Donald R. Tucker Center with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS (PDF). Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.