Feb. 28, 2009

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A 17-point first-half lead went by the wayside for the Kennesaw State women's basketball team as the Lady Owls lost their season finale at USC Upstate, 71-66, on Saturday afternoon.

Montinique Nixon finished off her second-consecutive double-double for the Lady Owls and fourth this season with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while Jennifer Baker finished off her storied KSU career with 18 points to lead Kennesaw State.

Upstate took advantage of 38 free-throw attempts, sinking 25. KSU went just 9-of-16 from the charity stripe from the game.

After not getting off to a good start in contests all season, the Lady Owls had an atypical beginning to the game by junping out to a 14-0 lead, then 36-19 after a Greteya Kelley three-pointer. The Spartans chipped away at the lead, getting it down to just nine at 44-35 at the half.

The Lady Owls (15-14, 11-9) scored the first two points of the second half off an Ashley Johnson jumper, but never again led by double-digits. Upstate tied the game for the first time at the 6:32 mark of the contest, then took its first lead one minute later. The Lady Owls would tie the game twice more, with the last tie coming with just under 90 seconds to go on a free-throw by Nixon.

But it was not to be for the Lady Owls on this Saturday afternoon, as USC Upstate would score seven of the final nine points of the game for the 71-66 win.

Chelsey Peterson led Upstate (13-16, 8-12) with 19 points.