ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week Sarah Taylor scored 17 points and pulled in 10 rebounds as 15th-ranked Rollins College had to mount a double-digit second-half comeback to edge the Eckerd College women's basketball program on Saturday, 69-64.
Junior guard
Rana Thomas established yet another new career-high point total with a 23-point outburst to lead all players. Thomas was 7-of-16 on all shots and eclipsed her previous single-game high of 21 points scored against Palm Beach Atlantic University earlier this month.
Senior
Amy Buccilla cashed in for four more three-point field goals as part of her 16-point outing and senior forward
Liga Vente scored 11 points to complement eight rebounds.
The Tritons (8-12, 1-9 SSC) carried an eight-point lead at halftime and just one lead change ended up contributing to the final decision in favor of the Tars (19-4, 8-3 SSC).
Rollins ended up winning both games of the regular-season series after defending its home court in Winter Park earlier in the year.
Eckerd opened up a 14-point lead, its largest of the game, after Thomas capitalized in transition with a layup that put the Tritons ahead with 5:32 before the break, 31-17.
In the next three minutes, the Tars assembled an 8-0 run to cut the lead down to six, but the Eckerd double-digit advantage was restored after a Thomas free throw outside the final minute of the first half.
The Tritons sank nine field goals and connected on 13 total free throws before the break.
The Tritons kept up the momentum early in the second half and a three-point play by Thomas after a steal by junior
Ivana Grbic gave the Tritons a 13-point cushion less than five minutes into the final period.
Midway through the second half, a jumper by Ashley Losch tied the game at 51-51 and another tie would unfold with 2:56 left to play on another Buccilla triple, 61-61.
Rollins scored the next six points as EC's offense stalled with three missed shots and a turnover inside the three-minute mark.
Buccilla nailed one of her treys with 20 seconds left to make it a three-point game, but Taylor iced it at the line with a converted trip at the charity stripe.
The Tritons will defend the McArthur Center on Wednesday against Florida Southern College for a 5:30 p.m. contest. The midweek game also represents the team's effort to support the Play 4Kay initiative to raise awareness and funds for cancer research to help the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
