Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Despite a career-high 20 points from sophomore
Rana Thomas, the Eckerd College women's basketball program was derailed by a slew of turnovers against an athletic Saint Leo University squad on Wednesday night, 53-47.
The Tritons (7-7, 4-3 SSC) cut an 11-point deficit to a one-point game with 7:26 to play, but the Lions (9-8, 4-3 SSC) snuffed out several rally attempts to complete the wire-to-wire victory.
Saint Leo pulled even with Eckerd in a tie for third in the Sunshine State Conference standings, which features a current three-way draw at the top with Florida Tech, Nova Southeastern University and Lynn University, all at 4-2.
Thomas was 6-of-10 from the field, 5-of-5 from the free throw line and drilled a trio of three-point field goals, to lead all scorers. She was assertive on the offensive end of the floor and also pulled in five rebounds while playing 37 of a possible 40 minutes.
Thomas also shattered her previous scoring-best total of 12 points recorded in the last two games against Barry University and Florida Southern College.
Senior
Katja Kotnik and junior
Amy Buccilla each contributed five points in reserve roles while current SSC Player of the Week
Krystal Charles ended with four points and six rebounds.
Teresa Manigrasso paced Saint Leo with 14 points and Keishara Green came through with a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds).
EC committed 13 of its 18 turnovers in the first half as the Lions applied effective full-court pressure and a series of swarming half-court traps.
Saint Leo scored 14 points off of EC's first-half miscues, most notably off a steal turned layup from Chelsea Connelly to Manigrasso with 7:25 left in the first half.
Following a Triton miss on the other end with the next possession, Green hit a jumper to give Saint Leo its largest lead of the half up nine, 21-12.
The Lions scored the first five points out of halftime for their first double-digit advantage, but the Tritons worked their way back to a 44-43 score following a three from freshman
Kaitlin Jackson.
Saint Leo converted four consecutive free throws down the stretch inside the final minute to put the game on ice.
The Tritons will venture out of the conference schedule on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Palm Beach Atlantic University for a 2 p.m. affair in West Palm Beach.
