GWU's Green and Heilig Score Double Digits in 68-48 Loss to Kennesaw State
November 16, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb sophomore center Catrina Green and freshman forward Jessica Heilig each scored double-digit points, as the Runnin' Bulldogs fell to Kennesaw State, 68-48, in Gardner-Webb's 2011-12 home opener in Paul Porter Arena on Tuesday night.
The Runnin' Bulldogs fall to 6-6 in home openers since 2000-01 and start the season at 0-2 for the first time since 2005-06. The Lady Owls improve to 1-1 on the year with the win.
Kennesaw State scored the first basket of the game on a lay up by Sametria Gideon 20 seconds into the contest to give the visitors a 2-0 lead, a lead that the Lady Owls would not relinquish for the entire 40 minutes of play.
Gardner-Webb cut the Lady Owls lead to four at 10-6 on back-to-back made free throws by freshman KiKi Smith, yet the visitors continued to knock down three-pointers, draining four en route to pushing their lead out to double digits at 24-12 with 9:21 to go in the opening half.
The Runnin' Bulldogs struggled to put the ball in the basket over the next four minutes of play, as back-to-back free throws by Taylor Mills capped off a 10-2 run for the Lady Owls to give the visitors a 20-point lead at 34-14 with 5:01 on the scoreboard in the first half.
A three-pointer by sophomore guard Jasmine Dale got the GWU offense going, as the Runnin' Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run to cut the Lady Owls lead to 13 at 34-21, only to have Kennesaw State respond with a 5-2 run to finish out the half and take a 39-23 lead into the halftime break.
Kennesaw State had 17 second chance points to the Runnin' Bulldogs five in the first half and five points off turnovers to Gardner-Webb's two, which constituted the halftime difference.
In the second half, Gardner-Webb cut the lead to 12 on two different occasions, as a Dale lay up in the paint with 15:44 to play put the score at 43-31 in favor of Kennesaw State.
However, the Gardner-Webb offense could not find its rhythm, as the Lady Owls pulled out to a lead as high as 24 points in the final 20 minutes of play before the final horn sounded with Kennesaw State in front 68-48.
Gardner-Webb committed 22 turnovers, which led to 21 Kennesaw State points, and allowed the Lady Owls to pull down 20 offensive rebounds which led to 23 second chance points.
The Gardner-Webb bench outscored the Lady Owls bench 18-5; however, the Lady Owls held an advantage in both points in the paint (36-28) and in fast break points (12-4).
For the second straight game, Green led the Runnin' Bulldogs in points with 13 and in rebounds with 11, her first double-double of the season. Heilig posted her first double-digit scoring game of her career with 11 points and hauled down seven rebounds in 22 minutes of play.
Kennesaw State had five players in double figures in points led by Gideon's 17 points and 11 rebounds. Lisa Capellan added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Ashley Holliday poured in 14 points and six steals in the win.
Gardner-Webb (0-2) will return to action on Saturday afternoon, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Appalachian State at 3 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena.
Kennesaw State (1-1) will return home to host Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
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| Box Score: Kennesaw State 68, Gardner-Webb 48 |
