ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd women's basketball team took an early lead and never looked back in a blowout win over Saint Leo Wednesday night at the McArthur Center on Senior Night.
The Tritons built the lead in the first quarter and continued to add to it throughout the game while knocking down 12 3-pointers in a win that completed a regular-season sweep of the Lions and kept Eckerd in a tie for second place in the Sunshine State Conference standings.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 70, Saint Leo 45
Records: Eckerd 20-6 (13-5 SSC), Saint Leo 12-15 (7-12 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- Eckerd began the game on an 8-0 run including triples from Chelsea Johnson and Ada Yalcin. Eckerd built upon its lead ending the quarter on a 7-2 run that was capped by a Dallas Dickerson 3-pointer for a 20-10 lead after one period.
- After a brief scoring drought by both team to open the second quarter, Eckerd's offense picked back up going on an 11-2 run midway through the quarter. Eckerd stretched its lead to 20 points at the end the first half as Dickerson drained back-to-back threes putting Eckerd up 40-20 at halftime.
- Eckerd maintained more than a 20-point lead throughout the second half utilizing seven unanswered points midway through the third quarter extending the lead to 28 on an Abby Whiteye 3-pointer. Eckerd matched its largest lead of the night after a Zoe Richards 3-pointer at the 6:17 mark of the fourth quarter, and later went up by 29 on a Maya Jurlina triple from the left corner.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Juday led Eckerd on both ends of the floor on senior night, tying her career-high 20 points while also leading the team with 11 rebounds and posting her ninth double-double of the season.
- Eckerd sunk 12 3-pointers in the win, marking the seventh time this season the team has made 10 or more. It was most since Nov. 24 when Eckerd made 13. Seven different Tritons knocked down a 3-pointer in the game with Dickerson leading the way with three.
- Eckerd held the Lions to a 29.1 shooting percentage in the first half and 34 percent for the game.
- The win was Eckerd's 20th of the season. The Tritons have won 20-plus games in three of the last four seasons.
- Before the game, Juday and Yalcin were honored on Senior Night while playing in the final regular season home game of their careers.
QUOTABLE
"Our two seniors have been terrific over their careers and it was a special night to honor all of their accomplishments. We had great energy to start the game and were tough on the boards all night. We played well on both ends of the floor." - EC head coach
Paul Honsinger
UP NEXT
Eckerd will conclude the regular season on Saturday as they travel to Palm Beach Atlantic for a 2:00 PM tip.
