Runnin' Bulldogs Use Defense to Ground Lady Owls for 59-48 Win
December 03, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Kennesaw, Ga. - Gardner-Webb used a strong defensive effort, forcing Kennesaw State into 27 turnovers for the game and held the Lady Owls to only six made field goals in the final 20 minutes of play to offset a cold shooting night on the offensive end and come away with a 59-48 non-conference road win in Kennesaw, Ga.
GWU struggled shooting the ball in the first half, going 10-of-34 (29 percent) from the floor and only 1-of-9 (11 percent) from the three-point line.
It was all Sandra Vaitkute on the offensive end in the start of the game, as the senior poured in eight points to help push GWU out to a 13-9 lead with 10:59 to go in the opening frame.
Yet Vaitkute joined fellow senior Dominique Hudson on the bench for most of the first half with two quick fouls, as the Runnin' Bulldogs offense went ice cold, scoring only one field goal from the floor over the next six minutes to fall behind 18-17 with 6:55 to play before the half.
The Lady Owls continued to take advantage of the early GWU foul trouble and its shooting woes, flying out to a 25-19 lead en route to holding off the Runnin' Bulldogs for a 27-25 halftime lead.
Gardner-Webb used defense to fight its way back into the lead in the second half, holding the Lady Owls to only one made field goal in the first 14 minutes of play, en route to running out to a 42-32 lead with 8:47 to go in the contest.
The Runnin' Bulldogs held the Lady Owls to only six made field goals in the final 20 minutes of play and outscored KSU 34-21 to pick up its fourth non-conference win of the season at 59-48.
Gardner-Webb only shot 34.4 percent for the game and held Kennesaw State to only 34 percent for the contest, yet the Runnin' Bulldogs held a slight advantage with 21 made field goals to the Lady Owls' 16 baskets.
Senior LaTroya Pope poured in a game-high 15 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Senior guard Monique Hudson added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Vaitkute had 11 points and nine rebounds in only 20 minutes of play.
For the Lady Owls, forward Sametria Gideon had a team-high 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Chelcey Farrar added 10 points and eight rebounds.
The win is head coach Rick Reeves' 99th career win at the helm of the Runnin' Bulldogs women's basketball program.
Gardner-Webb (4-3) will wrap up its six-game road trip on Sunday, December 7th, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will take on the Longwood Lady Lancers at 2 p.m. in Farmville, Va.
Kennesaw State (2-4) will hit the road to take on Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. on December 16th.
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| Box Score: Gardner-Webb 59, Kennesaw State 48 |
