Box Score
SAINT LEO, Fla. – Senior forward
Krystal Charles scored 22 points to lead all players while sophomore guard
Kayla Bowlin and freshman guard
Annie Armstrong each netted 10 as the Eckerd College women's basketball program defeated Saint Leo University on Wednesday, 64-62.
The Tritons (14-10, 9-6 SSC) won their fifth straight in the tail end of the regular season, playing the role of spoiler on Senior Night in the Bowman Center against the Lions (12-14, 7-9 SSC).
Charles added eight rebounds and handed out six assists while sophomore
Rana Thomas was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine points and nine boards, respectively.
The Tritons entered the game No. 10 in the South Region rankings and while the Lions were unranked regionally, they still posed a viable threat after tipping EC in the McArthur Center earlier this season by a six-point margin.
With another back-and-forth game going down to the wire, the Tritons had a big three-point play from Charles and a three-point bucket by Armstrong in the final minute and change to help seal the final decision.
“Krystal's three-point play turned the tide completely and put us up by four,” said EC Head Coach
Paul Honsinger. “It was a big-looking play -- an exclamation point to the night; she had a big rebound and went up strong with two people hanging on her.”
“Then Annie (Armstrong) hit a three late and it was when things weren't going so great for us,” he added. “Krystal was a staple for us all night and we defended well at the end.”
For Eckerd, the road win represented another key South Region triumph and broke a tie for third in the current Sunshine State Conference standings with Florida Tech, thanks to a Panthers' loss against Nova Southeastern University tonight.
The Tritons are closing in on equaling or surpassing one of the best SSC finishes in school history with the team finishing a program-best third with a 9-7 record in 2008-09.
EC turned a six-point deficit early on into a seven-point lead by halftime.
As the teams exchanged buckets in the second half, the Lions clawed their way back into contention down by as many as eight and the fifth tie took form at the 4:38 mark in regulation.
After Bowlin's made trip at the line, the Tritons led the rest of the way, but Saint Leo threatened after a Connelly three that made the score 57-56 with 1:40 remaining.
Charles followed her own miss and her previously mentioned three-point play put EC in control 60-56 as the final minute approached.
EC overcame a strong effort from Teresa Manigrasso, who led the Lions with 19 points. Chelsea Connelly scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds for the double-double.
The Tritons have just one more game remaining on the calendar before the SSC Championship in Kissimmee, a home finale against Lynn University on Saturday afternoon. EC will host the Fighting Knights with a 2 p.m. scheduled tip in the McArthur Center.
The seniors Charles and
Katja Kotnik will be honored before the game gets started around 1:50 p.m.
