LAKELAND, Fla. – In a defensive battle that saw the Eckerd women's basketball team hold No. 14 Florida Southern to a 39.1 shooting percentage and 20 points under their season average, the upset bid still fell just short Wednesday night at Jenkins Field House.
After trailing by eight points in the final minute, Eckerd managed to close the gap and pull within three points in the final 20 seconds and had possession with a chance to tie, but was unable to even the score in the final seconds.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: #14 Florida Southern 60, Eckerd 56
Records: Eckerd 10-5 (5-3 SSC); Florida Southern 15-1 (8-0 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- It was a defensive battle from the opening tip. After an initial Moccasins basket, neither team scored again until Abby Whiteye knocked down a triple at the 6:34 mark of the first quarter. Florida Southern evened the score at the midway point before another Whiteye 3-pointer followed by an Octavia Loll layup put the Tritons up by five. The Mocs pulled within one point to close the quarter with the Tritons up 12-11.
- Yarden Danan opened the scoring in the second period with a layup, but both teams went cold for the next three minutes before Florida Southern pulled within one point with 5:53 left and took the lead moments later. Two Haeli Howard free throws gave EC the lead at the 4:12 mark. The Tritons went ahead by as many as four points in the final four minutes but the Mocs managed to even the score twice during the stretch before taking the lead following three made free throws moments before the half.
- The teams faced a slow start to the second half as Florida Southern netted the first points of the half for either team at the 7:38 mark putting the Mocs up by five. Chelsea Johnson quickly put the Tritons ahead by one following back-to-back 3-pointers over a 20-second stretch. The teams stayed within one point of each other while trading leads over the next five minutes. FSC closed the period with five unanswered points to take a seven-point lead into the final quarter.
- The Tritons pulled within five points to open the fourth quarter and managed to stay within two possession of Florida Southern for the next four minutes. The Mocs, however, stretched their lead to seven points with under five minutes left and held that lead until the 1:01 mark.
- The Tritons nearly closed the gap in the final minute as Johnson knocked down another triple with 49 seconds left to pull within four. EC got a key defensive stop and Loll was fouled collecting the rebound. Loll sunk the first free throw pulling the Tritons within three with just 17 seconds left. Eckerd maintained possession following a jump ball call on the rebound of Loll's second free throw. However, the Tritons couldn't manage to get a clean shot in the final seconds as the Mocs forced a turnover and made a free throw to put the game out of reach.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Johnson led Eckerd with 17 points while Whiteye and Danan added 11 points apiece.
- Loll led Eckerd on the boards for the second straight game collecting eight rebounds while Zoe Richards grabbed seven.
- The teams were nearly even from the floor as Eckerd shot just 38.2 percent while holding Florida Southern to a 39.1 shooting percentage.
- Despite the loss, the Tritons held the Mocs to 22 points below their season average.
- Free throws were the difference as Eckerd went 7-for-10 from the charity stripe while Florida Southern went 20-for-30.
UP NEXT
Eckerd looks to bounce back as they continue SSC action with a trip to Embry-Riddle Saturday for a 4:00 PM start.
