DELAND, Fla. (February 8, 2024) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team was had a four-game win streak come to an end on the road at the hands of the Stetson Hatters, 62-55, Thursday morning from the Edmunds Center in DeLand, Fla.
A battle for sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Hatters used defense and free throw shooting to fend off the Lions in a low-scoring affair. Five points separated the teams throughout the first three quarters until a 22-point fourth quarter from Stetson sparked the host to the conference win.
Stetson gained its 12th win of the season to move to 12-12 overall and 7-3 in the ASUN, while North Alabama moved to 10-13 overall and 6-4 in the ASUN.
Graduate forward Allie Craig Cruce led the Lions in both points with 15 and rebounds with 10. The Lions also got contributions from senior guard Sara Wohlgemuth with 12 points, while freshman guard Katie Criswell (nine points) rounded out the top three scorers for UNA.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: A frantic first quarter saw 31 shot attempts between the teams in opening period, but UNA started strong en route to an early lead. Seven different Lions scored in the first, but Cruce got off to the hottest start with seven points on 3-5 shooting. The first quarter defense from UNA forced the Hatters to start 5-14 (35.7 percent) from the floor, but five free throws from Stetson made a difference early on. North Alabama opened the game shooting 8-17 (47.1 percent) on the way to a 19-16 lead.
SECOND QUARTER: Points were hard-earned for both teams in the second quarter, but the Lions still maintained a slim lead at the halftime break. The squads combined to shoot 25.8 percent from the field as the offensive first half turned into a defensive affair. Stetson outscored the Lions 12-10 in quarter scoring to cut the deficit. The battle for third place in the ASUN continued into halftime with North Alabama leading 29-28.
THIRD QUARTER: Stetson and North Alabama continued defensive struggle in the third quarter, matching the second quarter score of 12-10. Despite the Hatters with the advantage, UNA's defense forced Stetson into its lowest quarter shooting percentage with 16.7 percent. Free throws for Stetson proved key with a perfect 8-8 showing at the line, putting Stetson up 40-39.
FOURTH QUARTER: The final quarter saw the offenses have better starts, scoring 16 points combined in the first five minutes. UNA had its highest shooting quarter since the 19 in the first, but Stetson's offense came alive with timely scores to keep the Lions at bay. Seventeen points for the Hatters on 6-13 shooting proved clutch for the home team while defensively forcing UNA to 25 percent shooting (4-16). North Alabama continued to fight despite trailing by as many as nine with two minutes left, cutting the deficit to as little as four. The Hatters iced the game from there to win 62-55 at home.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· 30.4% – A common theme in the game was defense, and UNA showed plenty of that in the contest by holding Stetson to 30.4 percent from the floor. It now marks the lowest percentage an opponent has shot against the Lions in a game this season and the lowest since holding Tennessee Southern to 31.6 percent in the season opener.
· 46 – UNA eclipsed the 40-rebound mark for the second-straight game, finishing with 46 boards in the contest. The Lions outrebounded the Hatters 46-40 and finished with their third-most rebounds in game so far this season.
· 15/10 – Missing out on one last time out against Jacksonville, Cruce secured a double-double with a 15-point, 10 rebound performance against Stetson. The forward scored in double figures for the first time in three games while finishing with the second-most rebounds in her career.
· 28 – In the defensive battle, the Lions were able to lead the way in scoring from the paint with 28 points. UNA's offense was more efficient from the floor despite the result, shooting 32.3 from the floor compared to the 30.4 percent of Stetson.
COMING UP NEXT
UNA continues the Florida road trip with a trip to Fort Myers, Fla. for a contest against ASUN-leading FGCU on Feb. 10. The Saturday afternoon matchup will tip off at 4 p.m. EST and 3 p.m. CST for fans following along in the Shoals.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
