WINTER PARK, Fla. – Facing a 13-point deficit late in the second quarter, the Eckerd women's basketball team used a strong third quarter and lockdown defense in a comeback win over Rollins Saturday afternoon.
Eckerd trimmed the 13-point deficit to seven just before the half and rolled off seven straight points to begin the third quarter to tie the game. After several lead changes, Eckerd took the lead for good in the fourth quarter while the Triton defense held Rollins off the board over the final 6:54 of the game.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 47, Rollins 44
Records: Eckerd 19-7 (13-5 SSC); Rollins 10-14 (7-11 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- Eckerd got on the board quickly after two layups by Armi Anttila and pulled ahead, 8-4, four minutes in following a Chelsea Johnson layup. The Tars followed with an 11-0 run over the remainder of the first quarter to go up by seven before a Yarden Danan layup just before the buzzer trimmed the deficit to five.
- An Anttila basket two minutes into the second quarter pulled the Tritons within two points but Rollins responded with an 11-2 run pulling ahead by 11 with just under five minutes left in the half. The Tars took their largest lead of the afternoon two minutes later at 32-19 before Johnson and Danan hit back-to-back 3-pointers inside the final minute to trim the deficit to seven points at the break.
- Eckerd opened the second half with seven straight points to even the score at 32-32 with 7:19 left in the third. The teams traded baskets over the final seven minutes with a combined six ties and lead changes. A Johnson jumper at the end of the quarter gave Eckerd a 43-41 lead heading into the final period.
- Both offenses struggled in the final quarter as Rollins tied the score to open the quarter and took a brief lead following a Rachel Lia free throw with 6:54 left before two Johnson free throws less than 20 seconds later gave Eckerd a 45-44 lead. Eckerd's offense continued to struggle as the Tritons went over six minutes before their next point. Despite the shooting trouble, the Tritons' defense kept the Tars off the board over the final 6:54 of the game forcing three turnovers and eight missed shots in the stretch. Johnson knocked down two free throws with two seconds left and Eckerd dodged potential disaster when Jaylyn Harrison was fouled on a heave from near half-court with .3 seconds left. She missed all three free throws.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Johnson led all scorers with 21 points marking the sixth time this season she has scored 20 or more points.
- Eckerd held the Tars to just 12 points in the second half and three points in the final quarter.
- Eckerd shot 33.3 percent from the floor, its third lowest shooting percentage this season. The Tritons held Rollins to a 25.0 shooting percentage and 12.9 percent in the second half.
- Anttila swatted three shots tying her career high, which she has matched nine times during her career.
- With nine points today, Danan has reached 1,000 career points. She reaches the milestone between both Weber State (Utah) and Eckerd with 590 of her 1,000 points coming in a Triton uniform.
- Eckerd sits in third place, half of a game behind Tampa, in the SSC standings.
UP NEXT
Eckerd enters the final week of the regular season with a trip to Tampa Wednesday for a 5:30 PM start.
