Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Backing up a top-20 national rating in field goal percentage, the Eckerd College women's basketball program put on another impressive display of shooting to down Barry University on Saturday afternoon, 72-68.
Currently ranked 19th out of 277 programs in the nation in field goal percentage (44.3), the Tritons (7-6, 4-2 SSC) connected at rates of nearly 47 percent from field overall and almost 48 percent from behind the arc.
EC had four players in double figures and after a 22-of-24 effort at the charity stripe on Wednesday at Florida Southern College, the team was near perfect from the free throw line again with just one miss.
Eckerd knocked down eight three-point field goals in the first half alone.
Sophomore guard
Taylor Bestry netted 5-of-9 from behind the arc to lead the Tritons with 19 points. Bestry was one of four Tritons perfect from the free throw line, knocking down 4-of-4.
The Tritons ended the day shooting 94 percent from the line while the Buccaneers (9-5, 1-4 SSC) shot 65 percent.
Senior captain
Krystal Charles dominated the glass by pulling down 15 rebounds. Charles finished with a double-double, chipping in 16 points to go along with her effort on the boards.
With seconds left on the clock in the first half, junior forward
Liga Vente stepped up and knocked down her second three pointer of the year at the buzzer to send EC into the locker room with the lead, 40-34.
Vente finished the day with her season average of 13 points. Also in double figures was sophomore guard
Rana Thomas. Thomas tied her career high of 12 points for the second game in a row on 4-of-6 shooting.
Bestry, Charles, Vente and Thomas, were all perfect from the free throw line.
Sophomore guard
Kayla Bowlin also helped in the offensive shootout, sinking two treys as part of her eight points and four assists.
Late in the second half with the Tritons up 14, the Buccaneers brought some full court pressure and were able to start climbing their way back into the game, chipping the lead down to 10.
Despite a double-double effort from junior guard Tyler Hardy (20 points/11 rebounds), the Tritons were able to lock down defensively and knock down their free throws to close out the game.
EC will stay at home to face off against Saint Leo University on Wednesday evening in the McArthur Center. The upstart Lions knocked off nationally-ranked Tampa earlier this week by a 20-point margin.
