DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — In a tense ASUN Conference rematch decided in the final seconds, the Stetson Hatters avenged a loss from two weeks prior by holding off the Lipscomb Bisons 66-60 in a women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at Edmunds Center.

A back-and-forth contest featuring 10 lead changes and six ties was ultimately sealed at the free-throw line, where Stetson’s Mary McMillan calmly sank two foul shots with six seconds remaining to provide the final margin. The Hatters improved to 11-7 overall, while Lipscomb fell to 6-12.

The game’s defining sequence unfolded in the closing minute with Stetson clinging to a 63-60 lead. Lipscomb’s Taylor Bowen, who led all scorers with 19 points, was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 21 seconds left. She made the first two free throws but missed the third. Stetson’s Aleah Sorrentino secured the critical defensive rebound and was immediately fouled.

Sorrentino missed the front end of the one-and-one, giving Lipscomb a chance to tie. The Bisons worked the ball to leading scorer McKayla Miller, but her contested 3-point attempt from the wing was off the mark. Molly Heard grabbed the offensive board for Lipscomb but, in traffic, was called for an offensive foul with eight seconds left, effectively ending the Bisons’ hopes.

The finish capped a game where neither team led by more than eight points. Stetson built its largest advantage at 51-43 late in the third quarter, but Lipscomb chipped away, tying the game at 60 on a Miller jump shot with just over six minutes to play in the fourth. The teams then combined for a nearly four-minute scoring drought, characterized by turnovers and missed opportunities, before Stetson’s Jorah Eppley broke the deadlock with a clutch 3-pointer from the corner off a Sorrentino assist at the 56-second mark.

Sorrentino, a 6-foot-3 junior from Palm Bay, Florida, was instrumental for the Hatters, finishing with 17 points, four assists and nine rebounds. Her interior presence helped Stetson dominate points in the paint, 26-16. McMillan added nine points, including the decisive free throws, while a balanced effort saw contributions from Rose Caso (seven points), Sophie Locatelli (six points) and Promise Keshi (five points).

For Lipscomb, Miller complemented Bowen’s 19 with a team-high 20 points and three blocks. Heard added 11 points. The Bisons struggled to find consistent offense outside of their top performers, particularly in the second quarter where they managed only 12 points, allowing Stetson to take a 32-26 lead into halftime.

The victory was a measure of revenge for Stetson, which lost 67-53 at Lipscomb on Jan. 8. It also continued a trend of close games in the series and marked a successful start to a key conference homestand for the Hatters.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 726 at Edmunds Center. Both teams return to ASUN action on Saturday, with Stetson hosting Austin Peay and Lipscomb traveling to face Florida Gulf Coast.