DeLAND, Fla. - In the Stetson Hatters' home-opener on Saturday, Nov. 18, the women's basketball team secured their inaugural win of the season, triumphing over the Iona Gaels with a final score of 71-62 at the Edmunds Center. The Hatters, arriving fresh from setting a program record with 64 rebounds in their previous loss to High Point, displayed determination after an early three-game skid.

The opening moments saw Stetson winning the tip-off, setting the stage for a memorable contest. Notably, the entire team adorned purple shoes for Alzheimer's Awareness.

The scoring commenced with a layup by Jordan Peete, giving the Hats an early 2-0 lead. Jamiya Turner followed with another layup less than a minute later, demonstrating the team's quick offensive start. Despite a resilient Iona center making an and-1 layup, Turner continued to assert herself in the paint with another strong layup, bringing the score to 6-3.

Talley contributed to the scoring with a well-executed layup while falling over a defender. Turner drew a foul on a layup drive, making 1 of 2 free throws. The Hatters continued their offensive surge with a successful layup by Diawna Carter-Hartley, assisted by Khamya McNeal, extending their lead to 11-3. Another layup by Carter-Hartley, again from McNeal's feed, increased the advantage to 13-5.

Stetson flashed the defensive's capability by creating turnovers and forcing stops in the paint. Despite Iona cutting the lead to three by the end of the first quarter, the Hatters remained resilient.

The second quarter saw Tyra Myers draining a crucial three-pointer, the first of the game, but Iona quickly responded with a deep three of their own. Skylar Treadwell's layup, assisted by Talley, and Peete's well-assisted layup maintained a five-point lead. The teams exchanged baskets, with Sophia Fontaine's fast-break layup and Turner's jumper putting the Hatters up 26-19. Fontaine's crucial block preserved the lead as they headed into halftime.

At the half, Stetson was shooting 46.2% from the field, 1-7 from three (14.3%), and 1-7 from the free-throw line (14.3%).

The third quarter featured Talley's scoring spree, with a series of layups extending Stetson's lead. Despite Iona's attempts to cut into the lead, the Hatters finished the quarter with a 49-39 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Turner's layup and Treadwell's three-pointer kept Stetson ahead. Iona made a strong push, cutting the lead to six, prompting a timeout from Stetson. Myers halted Iona's momentum with a three-pointer, and Peete's layup and McNeal's free throws secured the Hatters' victory with a final score of 71-62.

Talley led the team in scoring with 15 points on an efficient seven of nine shooting while grabbing five rebounds, as well. J. Turner led the team with six rebounds, in addition to 14 points on six of 11 shooting from the floor. Peete and Carter-Hartley also reached double-figures in scoring, the latter of the two coming off the bench as a freshman.

As a team, Stetson shot 29 of 52 (55.8%) and went four of 13 from beyond the arc (30.8%), with Myers leading the pack with a pair of three-pointers. Stetson dominated the paint, outscoring the Gaels 48-18, although they were outrebounded 30-33. On the way to a 13 point lead, the Hatters scored 17 points on the fastbreak.

The Hatters defense held the Gaels to 21 of 58 shooting from the field (36.2%) while Iona hit eight three-pointers on 30 attempts. They forced the Gaels into 10 turnovers, transitioning into 11 points. Three Hatters recorded a block including Fontaine's prior to halftime.

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.

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