ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – With neither team able to create more than a two-possession lead for most of the game, the Eckerd women's basketball team dropped a tightly contested battle at the McArthur Center on Wednesday night.
Tampa held the lead for the majority of the night, but Eckerd stayed within reach and pulled ahead inside the final two minutes after back-to-back 3-pointers gave EC a 62-61 lead. However, the Spartans made two layups as the shot clock expired on their next two possessions, and the Tritons were unable to make up the difference in the final minute.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Tampa 71, Eckerd 66
Records: Eckerd 11-6 (6-4 SSC); Tampa 13-5 (7-3 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- The game remained close from the opening tip. The Spartans took a 6-3 lead at the 6:45 mark before the Tritons went on a 6-0 run to pull ahead by three with three minutes left. Eckerd closed the quarter with a 12-11 lead.
- EC opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run highlighted by back-to-back triples by Mikayla Kuehne giving the Tritons their largest lead of the night of seven points. Tampa responded with a 6-0 run to pull within one. Eckerd went back ahead by six with 3:29 left after a 7-2 run, but Tampa closed the quarter on an 11-2 run for a 33-29 halftime lead.
- Tampa held a two-possession lead over the first five minutes of the second half before back-to-back 3-pointers by Octavia Loll and Chelsea Johnson pulled the Tritons within one point. The Spartans stretched their lead to seven with 2:58 to go; however, Eckerd would outscore Tampa, 6-2, over the final three minutes to trail by three heading to the final quarter.
- The teams traded baskets over the first three minutes of the fourth quarter before a Loll 3-pointer pull Eckerd within one at the 6:39 mark. Tampa went back ahead by five over the next four minutes but back-to-back 3's by Chelsea Johnson and Zoe Richards gave Eckerd a 62-61 lead with 1:52 left. Tampa quickly regained the lead following an Emily Eshoo layup as the shot clock reached its final second. The Spartans followed with another bucket to lead by three with 28 seconds remaining.
- A Richards layup seconds later quickly pulled Eckerd within one, but EC was forced to foul as Tampa made both free throws. Trailing by three, Eckerd missed on its equalizer attempt and Tampa pulled ahead by five after two free throws. With six seconds remaining Johnson was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made 2-of-3 from the charity stripe to pull Eckerd within three points in the final moments. After a final foul, Tampa made both free throws to seals the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Johnson and Richards led Eckerd with 17 points apiece.
- Loll led the Tritons on the boards grabbing six rebounds.
- Armi Anttila had one blocked shot, moving her career total to 85 which is just one block away from tying eighth place all-time.
- Eckerd finishes the first half of conference play in a four-way tie for third place in the conference standings.
- The Tritons' four losses in conference play have been by a combined 12 points.
UP NEXT
Eckerd continues SSC action hosting Florida Tech on Saturday for a 2:00 PM start.
