Box Score
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Suffocating defense and efficient offensive execution set the tempo for an impressive non-conference victory as the Eckerd College women's basketball program handled Palm Beach Atlantic University on Saturday, 57-43.
The Tritons (9-4 overall) led wire-to-wire and doubled up the Sailfish (6-12 overall) in the first half, limiting PBA to just 15 points on 25 percent shooting in the opening frame.
Conversely, EC shot 45 percent from the floor overall and took care of business at the free-throw line, knocking down 15 of 20 tries.
Junior
Krystal Charles netted 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, hauled in eight rebounds and blocked three shots, to fill up the box score. Senior sharpshooter
Kati Rausberg canned four three-point field goals as part of her 14 points and freshman starter
Taylor Bestry came through with 10.
Senior
Taylor Young equaled Charles' rebound output and added eight points, all at the charity stripe.
Even though the Sailfish came into today's contest several games below .500 in the win/loss column, Eckerd Head Coach
Paul Honsinger and his squad didn't take their opponent lightly.
PBA fell to nationally-ranked Rollins College by just three points, lost to Florida Tech by one point and toppled Lynn University -- all opponents of the Sunshine State Conference.
“We had a balanced effort on both ends of the floor today, offensively and defensively,” Honsinger praised. “They (Palm Beach Atlantic) are a tough team, they compete hard and they've been in every game they've played this year.
“I was very happy with our job on the glass with a double-digit rebounding disparity,” he added. “We made them look disjointed and took away some of their offensive options.”
The Tritons were in the driver's seat for the first half as the defense harassed the Sailfish to go scoreless for the first nine minutes of play. By the time PBA scored at the 11:02 in the first half, the Tritons had built up a 13-2 lead.
Palm Beach Atlantic misfired on all 14 of its shots from the floor in that span.
EC didn't let up, leading by 14 after a layup by Charles, 15 after a trey made by Rausberg and the half's biggest margin at 17 when
Kayla Bowlin knocked down a jumper before halftime.
The Tritons' defense on the perimeter was stingy, forcing their opponent into a 1-for-14 rate from long range. PBA's lone make from downtown came when the game was all but decided with 38 ticks left in regulation.
EC enjoyed its largest lead at 19 points with 5:33 left in the second half.
Eckerd will look to tally another league win at home next Wednesday, playing host to Saint Leo University in the McArthur Center at 5:30 p.m.
