DeLAND, FL – Cameron Thomas, Mary McMillan, and Diawna Carter-Hartley combined for 53 of Stetson's 68 points, leading the Hatters to a thrilling 68-63 victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins at the Insight Credit Union Arena on Wednesday night. The trio stepped up in the final moments, with Carter-Hartley putting Stetson ahead by one at the free-throw line, and Thomas sealing the win with a steal and an and-1 layup. The victory not only improved the Hatters' impressive home record to 11-2 but also secured a spot in the upcoming ASUN Championship.
Stetson, now 14-11 overall and 8-5 in ASUN play, was led by Thomas, who finished with 23 points. This marked her 10th game of the season with 20+ points and her eighth consecutive game in double figures. McMillan added 16 points, seven assists, and two steals, bringing her season total to 107 assists. Carter-Hartley chipped in 14 points, and together, the trio accounted for 78 percent of Stetson's scoring.
After falling behind 13-7, Stetson responded with an 8-0 run to close the first quarter, capped by a three-pointer from Thomas, giving the Hatters a 15-13 lead. Stetson relied on its three-point shooting in the period, with three shots from beyond the arc accounting for nine of their 15 points.
Jacksonville briefly regained the lead at 26-23 before Stetson answered with a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Carter-Hartley, to take a 28-26 lead. The Hatters maintained that advantage, heading into halftime with a 35-33 lead. Stetson dominated in the paint, scoring 14 of their 20 points inside.
Coming out of the break, Stetson kept its lead and entered the fourth quarter up 45-43. Jacksonville took a 63-62 lead late in the game, but Stetson responded with a 6-0 run to finish the game with a 68-63 victory. Thomas gave the Hatters the lead with a clutch and-1 opportunity with 24 seconds left. After Jacksonville briefly reclaimed the lead, Carter-Hartley drew a foul and made both free throws. With one final stop needed, Thomas made a steal, drove coast-to-coast, and finished through contact for another and-1. A technical foul on Jacksonville resulted in two additional free throws, sealing the win.
Stetson will be back on the road, traveling to face conference-leading FGCU in Fort Myers on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4:00 PM.
MILESTONE TRACKER
Tiasia McMillan: McMillan now just needs five points to hit the 1,000 career mark!
Lynn Bria: Head Coach Lynn Bria is now just four wins away for her 300th career win with the Hatters!
