DELAND, FL – The Stetson women's basketball team cruised to a 79-63 victory over Austin Peay Thursday afternoon at the Insight Credit Union Arena. The Hatters held the Governors to just 20% shooting from beyond the arc, improving their home record to 9-2 in front of nearly 800 students for Elementary Day.
With the win, Stetson improves to 11-10 on the season and 5-4 in ASUN play. Four Hatters scored in double figures, led by Cameron Thomas with 19 points and seven rebounds. Mary McMillan added 17 points, and Promise Keshi chipped in with 13, tying her career-high. Thomas has now scored 15+ points in 15 games this season, while McMillan has achieved the feat five times.
The Hatters dominated the boards, out-rebounding Austin Peay 37-31. Diawna Carter-Hartley led the way with 12 rebounds, marking her third game of the season with double-digit boards.
Defensively, Stetson forced 13 turnovers, converting them into 18 points. Quentarra Mitchell was a standout with five steals and two blocks, marking her third game this season with five or more steals.
After trailing 5-2 early, Stetson went on a 17-0 run, capped by a bucket from Shelby Calhoun, to take a 19-5 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Hatters did most of their damage in the paint, scoring 10 of their 19 first-quarter points close to the basket.
Stetson maintained its lead throughout the second quarter, going on a 7-0 run to open the period and push its advantage to 26-5. Austin Peay managed to trim the deficit but still trailed 35-23 at halftime.
The Hatters continued to extend their lead in the third quarter. A 7-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Jorah Eppley, put Stetson up 54-40 with six seconds left in the period, and the score remained the same heading into the final frame.
Stetson kept its momentum going, finishing the game with a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 79-61 with six seconds left. The Governors scored late to narrow the margin, but the Hatters comfortably closed out the 79-63 win.
Stetson will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 1, when they host Lipscomb at 2:00 PM.