Box Score DeLAND, Fla. - The Stetson University women's basketball team secured a thrilling victory against the Queens University of Charlotte Royals with a final score of 73-71 in overtime. , their first game of the season that extended past regulation. The victory put the Hatters back in the win column after dropping their last two as they now hold a 3-2 record in conference play, 8-11 overall. The victory also marked Head Coach Lynn Bria's 400th career win at the D1 level.

"I was really proud of our kids and felt like we really fought. We just had a good team effort," said Bria. We could've crawled in a hole and died at any point but I really felt like we did a good job of hanging in there."

Sophomore forward Jaelyn Talley played a pivotal role in the Hatters' victory, leading the team with a season-high 17 points off the bench, shooting 6-of-9 from the field. Talley also pulled in seven rebounds, three of which came on offense, while dishing out two assists.

Jamiya Turner also reached double-figures, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, along with three assists. This marked her 12th game of the season with 10 or more points and her 10th game with five or more rebounds as the redshirt-senior led the team with nine boards.

Jordan Peete and Khamya McNeal complemented the team's scoring with double-digit performances, finishing with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Peete showcased her scoring versatility by earning seven points from the charity stripe and connecting on her lone three-point attempt of the night. On the other hand, McNeal not only contributed to the scoring, hitting two three-pointers, but also made her presence felt on the boards, securing eight rebounds in the game.

"That's how it should be in a game like this, you should be able to go down the strtch and be able to count on the ones that have all the experience," stated Bria.

In a closely contested game featuring four lead changes, the Hatters took an early lead with a free throw from Jordan Peete and a lay-up from Skylar Treadwell. In the opening quarter, Jaelyn Talley stood out among the five Hatters who scored, leading the team with five points.

The Stetson defense displayed its prowess by limiting the Royals to just 2-of-14 shooting in the first quarter, with an 0-6 start. Despite the defensive pressure, the game remained tied at 11 apiece heading into the second quarter. Although Queens opened the second quarter with a three-pointer, Stetson responded with a 6-0 run, featuring contributions from Turner, McNeal, and Talley.

Coming off the bench, Quentarra Mitchell made a significant impact by scoring six of the next eight points for the Hatters.

As the first half neared its end, Turner located McNeal open in the corner, and she managed to release a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired. This crucial shot provided the Hatters with an eight-point lead as they entered the halftime break.

The third quarter saw a slow start, with the first points for either team coming at the 6:53 mark when McNeal split a pair of free throws. Following the successful free throw, Queens responded with a 9-3 run, highlighted by freshman forward Diawna Carter-Hartley hitting her first basket in the starting lineup.

Stetson responded to Queens' run with a 9-0 run of their own, during which Talley contributed five points, and Peete and Turner each scored on fast breaks after stealing the ball.

Following some late free throws, the two teams entered the fourth quarter with Stetson holding a 44-32 lead.The fourth quarter then began with McNeal hitting a three-pointer, assisted by Treadwell, further extending Stetson's lead to 15 points.

After the Royals hit a three-pointer, Turner responded by quickly driving to the lane for a basket. A 7-2 run by the Royals narrowed the Hatters' lead to nine, but baskets from Treadwell and Turner extended it back to 13.

Despite a three-pointer from Peete, Queens continued to make gains, going on an 11-3 run. The run was interrupted by a free throw from Talley.

Queens managed a layup with a little over a minute left, making it a four-point game before McNeal split a pair of shots from the line. The Royals reduced the deficit to just three points before both teams exchanged a single free throw each.

With 43 seconds left, Queens narrowed the gap to one point, but Turner had an opportunity to extend the lead at the free-throw line. The veteran guard missed her first free throw but successfully buried the second. However, the Royals managed to beat the buzzer with a mid-range jumper, forcing the game into overtime.

Queens took the initial lead in the extra period, making two free throws, but Stetson quickly regained the lead with a trio of free throws from Peete.

Turner then increased the lead to three with a driving layup before Peete scored following a solo free throw from Queens, making it a two-possession game.

With 1:36 left in overtime, the Royals narrowed the gap to two points before Carter-Hartley made a crucial free throw. With 17 seconds remaining, Queens hit a shot from beyond the arc to tie the game at 71.

Peete split a pair of free throws, giving the Hatters a slight lead, and the defense held strong to fend off the Royals' comeback attempt. In the closing moments, freshman Anna Kunzwiler sealed the game with one final free throw, securing Stetson's 73-71 victory at home.

As a team, the Hatters shot 42.9 percent from the field, going 24-of-56.A significant contribution came from the charity stripe, where they secured 22 points. Stetson continued to dominate the paint, outrebounding the Royals 52-47 and outscoring them in the paint 36-16.

"Much better than our last game. I felt like Deedee did a good job, scored a couple of key baskets and Jaelyn really had a good game, she really got after it today," said Bria.

With this victory, Stetson now holds an 8-11 record for the season. They will embark on a three-game road stretch, starting with a matchup against Austin Peay State at 7:00 PM on Thursday, Jan. 25, in Clarksville, Tenn.

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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