Keiana GilbertGilbert honored
UTC freshman Keiana Gilbert picked up a pair of national awards for her play last week. She was named national player of the week by ESPN and Mid-Major Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.The ESPN award, selected by ESPN women's basketball writers Charlie Creme, Graham Hays, Michelle Smith and Mechelle Voepel, was awarded for Gilbert's 27-point performance in the Mocs' 67-63 win over the Lady Vols on Wednesday, and for her play in last Monday's win over Austin Peay when she had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.The ESPN honor is the first ever for a UTC player. Former Moc Taylor Hall was the Mid-Major honoree for her performance in the Mocs' win over Tennessee in 2012.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team wasn't able to build on its historic victory over Tennessee last week, losing 57-52 at Arkansas State on Monday night.
The Mocs (4-3) were led by Keiana Gilbert with 15 points and four rebounds, but she did most of her damage late as UTC rallied after trailing by 16 points in the second half. Ka'Vonne Towns scored 12 points, and Aryanna Gilbert had eight points. Jasmine Joyner had six rebounds and six blocked shots but only four points.
Arkansas State (3-2) was led by 22 points from Aundrea Gamble, who also had three assists. Jasmine Hunt had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Khadija Brown-Heywood had nine points and seven rebounds.
"When you go on the road and a team is averaging about 80 and you hold them to 57, you should win the game," UTC coach Jim Foster said on the postgame radio broadcast. "But offensively, we were not aggressive and we weren't smart. Jas (Joyner) is all of a sudden committing silly fouls trying to block shots coming down."
UTC shot 44.7 percent from the game, and 50 percent in the second half, but was 3-of-13 from 3-point range and turned the ball over 20 times.
"We just did not have good play from the point guard position until Ka'Vonne took over," Foster said. "What made us have a successful run was Ka'Vonne wanted the ball in her hands and was very willing to take the pressure and responsibility."
Keiana Gilbert was held to three points in the first half, and the Red Wolves led 33-26 at the break with Gamble having 11 points and Towns leading UTC with eight.
ASU opened with an nine-point run over the first five minutes of the second half to lead 42-26 before Keiana Gilbert got the Mocs' first points with a basket after almost five and a half minutes.
UTC began to pick up the pace on offense late, and Towns hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to nine at 56-47 on a 6-0 run with 3:34 to play.
Keiana Gilbert hit a pair of buckets to make it a five-point game with less than two minutes to go, and Towns hit one of two free throws with 1:19 remaining to get the deficit to four.
The Red Wolves gave UTC chances to make it even closer, but Destiny Bramblett missed a pair of 3-point attempts that would have made it a one-possession game, and ASU held on for the win.
The Mocs now get 10 days off for final exams and to regroup before playing at Belmont on Dec. 11, and maturity will be a focus for Foster as he works with his young team.
"We just have to grow up. Bottom line, plain and simple," he said. "Everybody's blowing smoke in your ears because you beat Tennessee, and you start to listen to that and think you're good. No. Now the next team wants a piece of you.
"Immature teams don't get that; the veteran teams get that."