ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Fueled by a 10-0 run in the third quarter, the Eckerd women's basketball team collected a 77-66 victory Saturday afternoon to collect the season sweep of Rollins at the McArthur Center.
Eckerd and Rollins battled back and forth in the first half as they entered halftime tied 34-34. However, a 10-point spurt midway through the third quarter finally pushed the Tritons in front, as they cruised to an 11-point win on senior day.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 77, Rollins 66
Records: Eckerd 21-5 (17-3 SSC), Rollins 15-13 (8-12 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- Rollins started the game with an 8-0 run before EC rolled off seven straight points to pull within one. An Octavia Loll triple from the top of the key evened the score at 12-12 with 4:27 left. The teams stayed within one possession of each other the rest of the quarter before entering the second tied 22-22.
- The Tars took a brief lead to start the second stanza before back-to-back 3-pointers by Mikayla Kuehne and Eneritz Larranaga gave EC a four-point lead. RC then rolled off eight straight points to take a four-point lead with 1:23 left in the half, but the Tritons made four free throws to tie the game at 34-34 heading into intermission.
- Eckerd started the third period with five straight points, but the Tars responded with five points over their own to even the score. However, Eckerd responded with 10 consecutive points- highlighted by back-to-back triples by Loll and Kuehne- to take the lead for good. EC's lead fluctuated between seven and 11 points over the last two minutes of the third as they took a 59-48 advantage to end the period.
- Eckerd started the fourth with a 9-2 run to give them their largest lead of the afternoon at 68-50. Rollins pulled within 11 with 3:31 left following a 9-1 run, but Eckerd held off the attempted rally for the 11-point win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Loll led Eckerd with 24 points, which is one off her career-high. Zoe Richards (14 points) and Larranaga (12) rounded out the double-figures.
- Larranaga led EC on the boards with eight followed by Loll with seven.
- Loll also dished out six assists.
- The win marked the 17th SSC win of the season, setting a new program record for conference wins in a season.
- Eckerd's four seniors-Larranaga, Loll, Richards, and Brooke Juday- were honored before the game.
QUOTABLE
"I'm extremely proud of this group for how close they have become, how hard they are competing, and the 17 conference wins they have posted in the regular season," said head coach
Paul Honsinger. "We are playing good basketball right now and we are excited for postseason play."
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to the McArthur Center on Tuesday at 7:00 PM for the first round of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Eckerd is the No. 2 seed, playing seventh-seeded Rollins.
