Thursday, December 18, 2008

KENNESAW, Ga. - It was only fitting the league’s two preseason favorites couldn’t determine the outcome in regulation on Thursday night in Kennesaw.

After squandering a 17-point second half lead and missing golden opportunities to win it in regulation, the Lady Buccaneers stepped up and flexed their muscles in the five-minute overtime period to escape with a 79-78 victory over Kennesaw State inside the KSU Convocation Center.

Juniors Siarre Evans (Griffin, Ga.) and Latisha Belcher (Martinsville, Va.) have enjoyed feasting on the Owls since arriving at ETSU, and the same results appeared in the box score again tonight. For the second straight game Evans notched a double-double, finishing with 19 points and a career-tying 16 rebounds; while Belcher tallied her second career double-double against Kennesaw State. Belcher ended with a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, and sank the go-ahead free throws in the extra stanza for the Lady Bucs to hang on for their first conference win of the year.

With the win, ETSU improved to 6-0 lifetime against the Owls, but more importantly it gave the Lady Bucs some much-needed momentum heading into the Christmas break. The Lady Bucs moved their record to 3-5, 1-1 A-Sun after picking up back-to-back road wins, and ETSU will now have a 10-day break before playing at Wake Forest next Sunday. Kennesaw State saw its three-game winning streak come to an end and dropped to 3-5, 1-1.

Despite being held to only six second half field goals and one in the overtime period, the Lady Bucs took charge at the charity stripe. ETSU made its lone field goal attempt with 4:52 remaining in the extra time, but seven free throws to KSU’s one proved to be the difference maker.