KENNESAW, Ga. --- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior Whitney Hood (Meridian, Miss.) scored a career-high 32 points but it wouldn't be enough as Kennesaw State prevailed 65-63 in overtime at the KSU Convocation Center.
Hood had seven points through the first six minutes of the game, but two quick fouls sent her to the bench for the remainder of the half. She would make up lost ground quickly in the second stanza scoring 16 points making 7-of-9 from the floor and a pair of free throws and adding nine more points in overtime.
The Lady Mocs fall to 3-8 on the year with four straight losses. This marks the first time the Lady Mocs have lost four consecutive games since Wes Moore's first season as head coach at Chattanooga.
With 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation, it was Kennesaw State's ball out of bounds under the basket and Chattanooga held a tenuous 53-51 lead. The Owls inbounded the ball to Tamasha Bolden in the lane and she dropped in a short jumper with time expiring to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, the game remained tight. Kennesaw State won the tip and immediately darted down the court for a layup by Chelcy Farrar to go up 55-53. Hood put in a layup to tie the game at 55-55 with 3:52 to play.
Kennesaw State went up 59-57 on a jumper by Bolden to take a 59-57 lead, but Hood was fouled as she made a layup to tie the game and gave UTC a 60-59 lead at the 2:33 mark. Freshman Meghan Downes (Fairburn, Ga.) made the second of her two free throw attempts with 2:12 to play to give the Lady Mocs a two-point lead, but it would vanish on four straight KSU points, putting the Owls up 63-61 with 57 seconds to play.
Hood's free throws with 31 seconds remaining tied the contest for the 13th time, but luck would not be on UTC's side as KSU's Angie Smith hit a jumper with four seconds on the clock to give the Owls the win. The Lady Mocs had 2.7 seconds to attempt one shot, but it fell short to end the game.
Junior Tenisha Townsend (Antioch, Tenn.) had seven points for UTC and dished out six assists. Freshman Destiny Bramblett (Radcliff, Ky.) had a career-high seven points and seven boards for the Lady Mocs along with a pair of steals and a blocked shot. Downes had seven points and a career-high five rebounds in the game.
Chattanooga will take the next several days off for the holiday break before closing out a four-game road stretch on Dec. 30 at Belmont in a 5 p.m. Eastern Time tip in Nashville.
