Box Score
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Junior guard
Amy Buccilla cashed in on a career-high 15 points while senior forward
Krystal Charles finished with her third double-double to spark the Eckerd College women's basketball program past Palm Beach Atlantic University on Saturday afternoon, 62-51.
Charles overcame early first-half foul trouble and contributed 18 points on efficient 6-of-8 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots in Rubin Arena.
The Tritons (8-7, 4-3 SSC) engineered a 14-2 run in the first eight minutes of the second half and handcuffed the Sailfish (5-15 overall) to below 33 percent shooting on the afternoon.
Buccilla helped put a charge in the offense off the bench with 12 of her 15 points in the second half as she finished 5-of-7 from the field and hit a pair of three-point field goals. She was also credited with three steals on the defensive end.
Junior forward
Liga Vente and sophomore guard
Taylor Bestry combined to score 15 of the team's 27 points in the first half. Vente did not play in the second half.
Eckerd broke through a brief defensive struggle with a 6-0 run in the early stages and provided the largest lead in the first half up by eight points on separate possessions.
Bestry knocked down a three and sophomore
Rana Thomas, coming off a career-high 20 points against Saint Leo University, made a layup to cap the run. A Buccilla trey at the 1:55 mark gave the Tritons additional cushion and headed into halftime ahead 27-23.
The Tritons remained ranked sixth among all NCAA Div. II programs in free throw percentage coming into today's game, but struggled with their forte early on, starting just 1-of-6 from the foul line.
EC was still able to finish with 22 made conversions at the charity stripe.
After halftime, Buccilla hit a three for a seven-point advantage and gave the Tritons their first double-digit lead with a layup with four minutes gone by in the second half.
Buccilla wasn't done yet as she stretched the lead to 15 with a steal and three-point play opportunity a few minutes later. She bested her previous career-high point total of 12 points scored twice last season.
With 2:21 left to play, PBA worked its way back within a reasonable five-point deficit, but the Tritons took care of business and sank 13 free throws winding down to the final horn to preserve their lead.
Kristie Mason and Lynsey Poole each scored a dozen for the Sailfish. Ashley Dolberry was one point shy of a double-double, recording nine points and 13 boards.
To close the month of January, the Tritons remain on the road as they resume Sunshine State Conference play next week, heading to Boca Raton to face Lynn University on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m.
