[Women's Basketball] First Game Jitters No Problem for Hornets
ST. LOUIS, MO- After coming off a 19-12 season, the Hornets faced a tough Georgetown College team for their first game of the 2017-2018 season. But, the first games nerves that come with the home and season opener were of no concerns as the Hornets glided past the Tigers for a 67-53 win.
Alantis Sutton (SR/St. Louis, MO) lead the Hornets today with 20 points and and chipped in 6 rebounds while Dynesha Powell (SR/East St. Louis, IL) was right behind her with 17 points and grabbed a team high 9 boards.
Abbey Van Zant was the leading force for the Tigers today with a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds. Justus Martin was the other scorer in double figures for GC with 11 points off of the bench.
HSSU took a lead just 11 seconds into the game when Sutton grabbed a steal from Georgetown's Van Zant and made it 2-0. Harris-Stowe would extend their lead to 10-0 before the Tiger's coach was forced to call a timeout just 4 minutes into the game. Van Zant would score her first basket of the game to break GC's blank scoreboard to cut HSSU's lead to just eight.
But, it didn't last long as the Hornets answered right back as Dynesha Powell drained a three to push Harris-Stowe's lead to 11. The first quarter would end with Harris-Stowe leading 14-6 after Powell made one of two free throws.
Georgetown came back in the second quarter, outscoring the Hornets 13-12 before the half. Justus Martin and Shelby Beam had back-to-back baskets to get within one of HSSU and make it 14-13. The Tigers would take their first lead of the game when Van Zant made a field goal to take a 17-15 lead with 6:25 left in the half. Harris-Stowe would answer with an 8-0 run that started with a second change shot from Amani Ferguson (SO/Indianapolis, IN). All eight points would be scored in the paint on a second chance shot or an assists from the Hornets.
The half would end with an offensive put-back from Iland Shurn (SR/Kansas City, MO) to extend the Hornets lead to 26-19.
HSSU shot 26% from the field in the first half and only made 3 three's out of 16 attempted.
Harris-Stowe would come out in the second half ready to play. Alantis Sutton came out hot in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back threes, both assisted by Tarsheia Page (FR/Chicago, IL), to get their lead back to 11 and force Georgetown to call a timeout. GC would only be able to cut HSSU's lead to 9 before heading into the final quarter.
The fnal quarter of play is where Harris-Stowe opened it up. Besides 15 seconds of play in the quarter, they would maintain a double digit lead on the Tigers until the final buzzer where they claimed the win with a 67-53 finish.
The Hornets ended the game shooting 35% from the field and 33% from 3-point range.
HSSU will be back in action next Saturday when they travel to LeMoyne-Owen College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
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