SAINT LEO, Fla. - A late push by Eckerd was not enough to close the gap, as the Tritons' women's basketball team fell to Saint Leo on the road by a score of 57-52 on Wednesday night in the SSC opener.
Eckerd trailed early, going down by 10 in the opening five minutes of the game. A 3-pointer by Chance Bucher in the final two minutes brought the Tritons within two to trail 12-10 after the first period. Eckerd took its first lead in the second quarter off a 3-pointer by Sonja Schuch at the 6:25 mark. Saint Leo answered back, taking a 29-25 lead into the half.
A 12-2 run to start the second half gave EC a six-point lead, which the Tritons held on to late in the frame. However, the Lions narrowed the margin to two, heading into the final frame. With 2:25 to go, Saint Leo turned the tide, regaining its lead off a nine-point run. Eckerd pulled within three to force Saint Leo to call a timeout with 12 seconds remaining. The Lions turned the ball over, giving the Tritons one final chance to equalize, but they could not convert. Saint Leo sealed the game with two free throws for a 57-52 victory over the Tritons.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Saint Leo 57, Eckerd 52
RECORDS: Eckerd 3-3 (0-1 SSC); Saint Leo 4-2 (1-1 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Bella Green posted her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bucher rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points.
- The lead changed four times in the game, while the score was tied five times in the game.
- EC outscored SLU in the paint 24-16.
- Green shot 5-for-8 from the floor and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
- Lauryn Vieira added seven boards and four steals.
- Eckerd had a 34.5 shooting percentage.
UP NEXT
Eckerd continues its conference schedule at No. 15 Tampa on Sunday at 2:00 PM.
