Box Score
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Eckerd College women's basketball program battled Lynn University to the very end, but eventually fell in a close road contest on Wednesday night in overtime, 49-54.
The Fighting Knights (10-8, 5-3 SSC) scored the final six points of the overtime session after a go-ahead three-point bucket by reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week
Taylor Young was made for a brief, 49-48 lead.
But that would be the only field goal for the Tritons (10-6, 4-4 SSC) in the extra frame as EC shot 1-of-6 in the last five minutes. After a LaKendra Jones layup gave Lynn the lead for the fifth and final time, the Fighting Knights sank four free throws down the stretch to close it out.
Senior guard
Kati Rausberg had a game-high 10 points while junior forward
Krystal Charles played all possible 45 minutes while scoring seven points, grabbing 12 rebounds and recording seven blocked shots.
Senior guard
Linsey Niles was just one point and one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with nine and nine, respectively.
The game was tied at 6-6 midway through the first half, but both teams were turnover prone in a sluggish opening period that featured 20 combined miscues. A late 5-0 run by Lynn with five minutes before the break set the tone for a slight halftime lead, 23-21.
The Tritons and Fighting Knights each made seven field goals in the first 20 minutes, while Lynn hoisted up nine more attempts that missed the mark. Overall, Lynn fired up 16 more shots than Eckerd.
Lynn continued to hold on to the lead for the early portion of the second half. The Tritons trailed by just two after several possessions and with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation,
Amy Buccilla made a pair of free throws to make things all square again at 39-39.
Buccilla then made a temporary go-ahead bucket on a layup shortly after a media timeout and Rausberg was the beneficiary of an assist from the junior for a four-point lead, 43-39.
But another tie was restored and the score was knotted at 46-46 with 2:02 left to play.
Rausberg was just short on a layup attempt before time expired as the Tritons looked to score and win on the final possession of regulation with 22 seconds on the clock.
Lynn shot just over 30 percent from the field, but committed six fewer turnovers and was slightly more efficient at the free-throw line with 16 makes. The Tritons turned the ball over 20 times and made just over half of their tries from the charity stripe (11-of-20).
Reserve Amanda Jones was the high scorer for Lynn with 11 as the Fighting Knights' bench outscored EC's backups, 16-7. Jones, Kira Harvey and Marquis Lee, each scored 10.
The Tritons return to the McArthur Center this weekend to continue Sunshine State Conference play, welcoming Florida Tech for a 2 p.m. showdown.
