Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Junior
Krystal Charles had 20 points and senior
Linsey Niles netted 12 despite battling foul troubles, but Florida Southern College held on to a slim lead down the stretch to beat the Eckerd College women's basketball program on Wednesday, 67-61.
The Mocs (17-5, 8-4 SSC) are still receiving mention in the latest
USA TODAY ESPN Top-25 Coaches Poll released this week and garnered 43 votes to rank 27th in the country. The Tritons (12-8, 6-6 SSC) couldn't avoid the regular-season sweep despite a gritty effort on both ends of the floor.
Eckerd gave the Mocs a run for their money in Lakeland earlier this year, riding a career-high 20 points, eight rebounds and five steals from
Emilie Hesseldal (stress fracture) in the Jan. 4 matchup. With Hesseldal sidelined indefinitely since that game, the rest of her teammates continued to pick up the slack in her absence.
“We had some giveaways down the stretch that just can't happen,” EC Head Coach
Paul Honsinger said. “I think we would have liked to get Kati (Rausberg) involved more in the offense earlier and get her going to the basket.”
The Tritons were within striking distance in the first half despite trailing or being tied for the first 14 minutes and change. FSC's largest lead was only five in that span and the Tritons made their move as the opening period came to a close.
Niles used a spin move in the lane to shed Morgan Lamberg and converted a finger-roll layup that had the Tritons down by just one. Eckerd came back to take the lead a possession later as Charles knocked down a three on the right wing after a beautiful baseline feed from the senior Rausberg for a 27-25 edge.
Senior guard
Taylor Young then banked home a running layup high off the glass to tie the game at 34-34 going into the break.
FSC's Michaela Hawley snared an offensive rebound and made the putback plus a foul for a 42-40 lead with just over 11 minutes left in regulation. Hawley finished the game with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
Back-and-forth the teams went and Niles tied the game up, 55-55, on another hard-earned bucket despite contact from Hawley. But Niles drew her fourth foul on what appeared to be a clean rejection of Hawley the next trip down the floor.
FSC's Tracy Fosterling made a layup inside two minutes to go that put FSC up by five and the Mocs wouldn't relinquish the lead.
The Tritons return to the McArthur Center to host Palm Beach Atlantic University on Saturday. The game will get underway at 2 p.m.
