Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd College women's basketball program stretched out the University of Tampa defense by dialing up a season-high 11 three-point field goals for a key Sunshine State Conference win in the McArthur Center on Wednesday, 76-65.
Junior forward
Krystal Charles scored a season-high 17 points while senior
Linsey Niles equaled her offensive output on sizzling 7-of-9 shooting to help lead the Eckerd offense. Senior guards
Kati Rausberg and
Taylor Young drained three treys each to add 13 points apiece.
Charles also dished out six assists and added a pair of blocked shots. Niles, Rausberg and
Katja Kotnik tied for the team lead in rebounds with six.
Young was perfect from the floor regardless of shot type, finishing 4-for-4 from the field, making all her three-point tries and converting both free-throw attempts.
The Tritons (8-4, 3-2 SSC) connected on 11-of-20 attempts from long range and bested their previous team-high total of 10 against Florida Tech (Dec. 3) and Nova Southeastern University (Dec. 10) earlier in the season.
Eckerd made eight of its 11 three-point field goals (51.9 percentage overall from the floor) in the first half alone. The Tritons were playing without the services of leading scorer
Emilie Hesseldal (stress fracture).
An early Rausberg triple triggered a 7-0 run that gave the Tritons a 19-14 advantage midway through the first period. Shortly after, Young continued the barrage with a pair of threes in the corner, including one while hitting the deck hard after the release.
Tampa Head Coach Tom Jessee was issued a technical foul and Rausberg made a free throw for EC's first double-digit lead with 2:24 before halftime.
After the break, Niles hit a pair of threes that gave the Tritons a 16-point margin of cushion. Her second, at the 11:58 mark, set the stage for a Charles shot at the top of the key that had EC in front by 17 a few minutes later.
Charles made five free throws in a one-minute span to thwart a Spartans' late rally. The Tritons took advantage of 20 shots at the charity stripe in the second half and seven different EC players made at least two free throws.
Moriah Hodge led the Spartans (7-7, 1-4 SSC) with 22 points and 16 rebounds, both game highs. Jaleesa Harmon tallied 18 points before fouling out late in the second half and Illyssa Vivo netted 14 for the visitors.
The Tritons are on the road this weekend against Palm Beach Atlantic University, heading to West Palm Beach, Fla., for a 2 p.m. non-conference matchup on Saturday.
