ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A 15-4 run to begin the second half opened up a sizeable lead for the Eckerd College women's basketball program as it upended the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon on Friday afternoon to begin the EC Thanksgiving Classic, 68-52.
Senior
Linsey Niles scored 13 points, senior guards
Taylor Young and
Kati Rausberg each hit a trio of three-point field goals and the Tritons (2-1, 0-0 SSC) cashed in on 17 made shots from the free throw line.
Junior center
Katja Kotnik made her first appearance of the season after being sidelined with a hand injury and was perfect from the field (3-for-3) and the free-throw line (4-for-4) as she finished with 10.
Freshman
Danielle Evers made a layup to beat the final horn as time expired, also marking her collegiate debut.
The Tritons hounded the Vaqueras (translated to Cowboys) to the tune of 20 turnovers and opened their lead over 20 following a three-point basket by Young on the wing at the 16:21 mark in the second half.
Young's three blew the doors open on an 11-point halftime advantage in favor of Eckerd. She poured in nine points in the 15-4 run, hitting another three and converting an 'and-one' opportunity.
Young was a terror in the passing lanes, collecting four steals to complement a 4-of-7 shooting effort. She also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
On the offensive end, the Tritons exploited an undersized albeit scrappy UPR-Bayamon squad that only dressed nine players. Eckerd was in the double-bonus just eight minutes into the first half and seemingly was able to get to the basket at will in transition in the final frame.
The Vaqueras were plagued by foul troubles all afternoon and a total of three players exited early with five apiece. UPR-Bayamon racked up 26 fouls compared to 17 by the Tritons.
UPR-Bayamon was lingering around until Rausberg and Young hit back-to-back triples with about five minutes to go in the first half that pushed EC's lead to nine.
Kayla Bowlin knocked down a pair of free throws before the intermission for the Tritons' first double-digit edge.
Eckerd led by as many as 23 in the second half after freshman
Emilie Hesseldal hit a layup with four minutes left in regulation. Hesseldal countered the Vaqueras' swarming double teams with smart passes out of the post as she recorded four of her five assists in the first half.
Keisha Bachour had a double-double for UPR-Bayamon, scoring a game-high 16 points and hauling in 10 rebounds.
The Tritons play their final game of the EC Thanksgiving Classic against Queens (N.C.) University tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the McArthur Center. Queens dropped a 1 p.m. matchup earlier today against Florida Southern College.
