BUIES
CREEK,
N.C.-Campbell used a 12-4 run to close out the game, taking its
regular season finale, 67-57, over Stetson in Atlantic Sun women's
basketball action Saturday afternoon inside the John W. Pope, Jr.
Convocation Center.
The Lady Camels, who honored
five departing players before the contest (Lauren Arthur, Cara
Bell, Gara Bell, Jessica Mack and Lynisha Ochogu), improve to 12-17
overall and 5-15 in conference play with the win. Stetson,
meanwhile, falls to 8-21 on the season with a 5-15 A-Sun mark. The
win marked the 12th in a row for the Lady Camels over
Stetson in Buies Creek.
Senior guard Lauren Arthur
fueled the Lady Camels with 14 points, including nine in the second
half, while notching a pair of rebounds and two assists. Junior
guard Lindsay Smithberger joined Arthur in double figures,
recording a season-high 11 points to go along with five
rebounds.
Sophomore post Lauren Yesh
chipped in nine points and nine rebounds, the later being a career
mark, adding three assists in the win. Junior center Ashley
Williamson collected eight boards and seven points, while freshman
guard Amanda O'Neill clocked six points.
Jessica Mack and Lynisha
Ochogu added five points in the win, with Mack posting a steal and
Ochogu listing five rebounds. Junior forward Geami Britt tallied
five boards and four points on the afternoon.
For the Hatters, sophomore
forward Jessica Conner led the way with a career-high 24 points on
9-of-11 shooting, registering eight rebounds as well. Senior guard
Sharnesha Smith added 13 points in the loss, while sophomore guard
Brittany Carannante followed with seven.
After the half, which saw a
27-26 Campbell lead, a quick jumper by Stetson's Conner gave the
Hatters just their second advantage of the contest, but an Arthur
three snatched the game back in the favor of the Lady
Camels.
The squads then traded a pair
of baskets before the Hatters resumed control, as a Conner lay-in
plus one gave Stetson the lead once again, 37-36 at the 14:12 mark.
The Hatters would hold the advantage for over six minutes, their
longest lead of the afternoon.
It was there when the duo of
Gara Bell and Ashley Williamson combined for seven straight
Campbell points from 9:44 until 7:23 to propel the Lady Camels into
the lead, holding a two point margin with 2:48 remaining in the
game.
Down the stretch, four Lady
Camel combined to go 10-of-12 from the free throw line, sparking a
12-4 run and securing a 67-57 win over Stetson.
The Lady Camels will now head
to Nashville, Tenn. for the 2008-09 Atlantic Sun Conference
Tournament as the sixth seed in the bracket, facing either Mercer
or Belmont in the quarterfinal round on Thursday.