DeLAND, Fla. - The Stetson University women's basketball team hit the court at the Edmunds Center for the second game of a three-game homestand on Thursday night, aiming to bounce back from their previous weekend's defeat against FGCU. In a matchup against Kennesaw State that saw three lead changes, the Hatters succumbed to the Owls with a final score of 63-48.

Leading the Hatters was Khamya McNeal, contributing with 10 points off the bench on 4-of-9 shooting. McNeal also made her presence felt with three rebounds and an assist, marking her ninth consecutive game with at least one assist.

Jamiya Turner closed the night with a total of nine points, but her impactful performance extended beyond scoring. Turner crashed the boards, securing a team-high six rebounds despite the team's loss.

Three Hatters concluded the game with seven points including freshman forward Diawna Carter-Hartley, who kicked off the game with a three-pointer, her fourth of the year and first since the home victory over Iona on Nov. 18.

Stetson began the game positively, connecting on six of their 17 shot attempts and effectively limiting the Owls to just 3-of-12 shooting in the first quarter. In the opening quarter, six different Hatters made contributions to the scoring effort, with Turner leading the pack by notching four points.

Quentarra Mitchell, a pivotal player coming off the bench, knocked down the floater with 3:27 left in the first quarter, propelling the Hatters to an 11-5 lead. The team closed the quarter strongly, securing a 15-9 lead as they headed into the next phase of the game.

Stetson maintained their consistency into the second quarter, shooting 41.7 percent from the floor.

Carter-Hartley took charge in the quarter, leading with four points and maintaining a perfect 3-for-3 to start the game. However, it was Jordan Peete's three-pointer from beyond the arc that extended the Hatters' lead to its largest point of the game. With 2:45 remaining in the first half, Peete banked in a shot from the top of the key, courtesy of a feed from Turner, putting the Hatters ahead by 10.

After a 6-0 run from the Owls, Turner responded by driving to the rim just as time was expiring, drawing a foul. An additional technical foul on the Kennesaw State bench provided the Hatters with four free-throw opportunities before the half. Turner capitalized by making both of her shots, and Mitchell, who took the technical free throws, split the pair.

McNeal initiated the scoring for Stetson at the start of the second half, completing a challenging lay-up and drawing an and-1 opportunity, which she successfully converted.

The Owls mounted momentum, initiating the third quarter with an 11-3 run. However, Mitchell halted the streak with a driving lay-up, ignited by Peete's assist. Despite this interruption, Kennesaw State closed the quarter with yet another 11-3 run, with Jaelyn Talley adding three points to their tally.

Facing a deficit, Stetson emerged with renewed energy at the start of the final quarter. Turner promptly contributed with a reverse lay-up, and Peete, displaying excellent court vision, located McNeal for an open three-pointer.

Despite Stetson's renewed energy, the Owls responded with a 10-0 run. Skylar Treadwell intervened to break the streak, securing a driving lay-up for her first basket of the night.

The game concluded with an 8-3 stretch in favor of Kennesaw State, with McNeal contributing the final bucket for Stetson. Despite the efforts in the closing moments, the final score ultimately favored the Owls.

As a team, Stetson recorded a shooting percentage of 35.3%, making 18 of their 51 attempts. While they held a slight advantage in three-pointers, leading 3-2, they were outscored in the paint 24-34 and faced a deficit in rebounds, being outrebounded 44-26.

Now with a season record of 7-11, the Hatters will conclude their homestand on Saturday at 2:00 PM, hosting the Queens University of Charlotte at the historic Edmunds Center.

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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