MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – An undermanned Eckerd College women's basketball squad took Barry University down to the wire in defeat following a compelling road final on Saturday afternoon in the Health & Sports Center, 72-67.
Trailing by as many as 18 points with about 14 minutes left to play, the Tritons (9-13, 2-10 SSC) rallied and tied the Buccaneers (13-9, 5-7 SSC) at 67-67 with 54 seconds left as junior
Ivana Grbic made a layup.
Barry's Tyler Hardy sank the go-ahead basket inside the final 30 seconds and Alesha Jenkins helped secure the final decision with a pair of free throws as an EC three-point attempt missed the target before time expired.
Senior leading scorer and rebounder
Liga Vente (12 ppg, 7.2 rpg) was a scratch from the starting lineup with an undisclosed injury and freshmen
Sarah Ammons and
Victoria Vine both appeared in the starting five.
As a result, the Tritons took the court with seven dressed players and employed successful new defensive schemes to complement their new combination of personnel.
"I was really proud of our effort and the fact that we mounted a comeback," said EC Head Coach
Paul Honsinger. "We didn't quit and tied it inside the final minute of the second half. Ivana (Grbic) probably had her best game of the year and Victoria (Vine) really sparked us too. Unfortunately, we just fell short at the end."
In a reserve role, Grbic enjoyed a strong day as she finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. She was just two points shy of matching her career-high scoring output of 18 recorded against Flagler College back in late November.
Grbic converted 7-of-11 shots from the field, blocked two shots, handed out a pair of assists and was two rebounds short of her fourth double-double this season.
Junior guard
Rana Thomas was 5-of-8 from the field en route to tie for the team lead in points with Grbic and senior
Amy Buccilla knocked down two more buckets from long range as she finished with 14 points and five assists.
Junior guard
Kayla Bowlin played all possible 40 minutes in a game for the seventh time this year as she finished with eight points and six rebounds.
As a team, the Tritons shot almost 50 percent from the field in the first half alone and the total numbers settled around 43 percent on all shots at the end of regulation.
Despite the noticeable absence along the front line, the Tritons held an 18-8 advantage of points in the paint by halftime.
Led by 15 points from Jenkins and Collette Eule, Barry had five players finish in double figures. Jenkins made nine free throws and pulled in 13 rebounds.
The Tritons continue the second half of the Sunshine State Conference schedule next week against the University of Tampa on Wednesday from the Martinez Center.
