Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A 16-2 run to begin the second half and a 9-0 run to end the first period propelled the Eckerd College women's basketball program past Nova Southeastern University in its Sunshine State Conference home opener on Saturday afternoon, 71-55.
The combined 25-2 stretch in favor of the Tritons (6-1, 2-0 SSC) turned into an insurmountable deficit for the Sharks (6-3, 0-2 SSC), who were plagued by turnovers. EC collected its third straight victory in the school series after sweeping NSU in the 2010-11 campaign.
Eckerd extended its current win streak to five and maintained its stance tied at the top of the league standings early in the SSC schedule.
Linsey Niles netted 14 points and pulled in a career-best 15 rebounds for the double-double,
Taylor Young scored eight and added six steals (all in the first half), while
Kati Rausberg and
Emilie Hesseldal contributed 11 points each.
Niles helped the Tritons carve a 39-33 advantage in the rebound department as she hauled in 11 defensively and crashed the offensive glass for four more boards. She also dished out five assists, tying Hesseldal for the team lead.
The Tritons forced 17 of 23 Nova Southeastern's turnovers by halftime and the offense methodically picked apart the NSU defense over the course of the game to the tune of 10 three-pointers on over 42 percent shooting.
Despite the early advantage in turnover margin, the Tritons hit just 2-of-10 shots from the field to begin game as Nova Southeastern lingered around.
A three from Rausberg at the five-minute mark helped EC gain some separation from the game's fourth tie and the Tritons began to seize control.
Eckerd's last three baskets before the first half closed were from beyond the arc as Young cashed in on a pair and
Amy Buccilla drained another while the Tritons overcame the Sharks' 2-3 zone setup.
Young knocked down a trey to beat the first-half buzzer and gave Eckerd its first double-digit lead of the afternoon going into the break.
The momentum carried over into the second half as the Tritons stretched their lead to 17 while holding the Sharks scoreless until the 16:51 mark.
Eckerd promptly came back with another 7-0 run, highlighted with separate longballs from Rausberg and Buccilla. The Tritons were in cruise control and led by as many as 33 with under nine minutes to play after Hesseldal converted a bank shot.
Reserve Jada Buckner led Nova Southeastern with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Robinson added 12 to go along with four steals.
The Tritons have all of next week idle before taking their trip up north for a pre-Christmas expedition, facing Adelphi (N.Y.) University on Sunday, Dec. 18, and Southern Connecticut University on Monday.
