TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 13 Eckerd women's basketball team makes its first appearance in the Sweet 16 as the second-seed Tritons take on the first-seeded Tampa at 7:00 PM in the NCAA South Regional Championship on Monday.
Monday: No. 2 Eckerd vs. No. 1 Tampa | 7:00 PM | Bob Martinez Center | Live Stats | Live Video | Program | Tournament Website
ABOUT THE TRITONS
- Eckerd (26-5) earned the No. 2 seed in the region. EC opened the National Tournament on Friday, beating the No. 7 seed Nova Southeastern, 79-73, in the opening round and topped the No. 3 seed Union (Tenn.), 64-57, in the regional semifinals on Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16.
- Against the Sharks, Eckerd held a 13-point edge early in the fourth quarter and fended off a late NSU rally to seal the game. Against the Bulldogs, the Tritons received a late triple by Ragnheidur Einarsdottir at the 1:53 mark and a jumper by Lauryn Vieira on the next play to seal the win.
- Sofia Persson leads Eckerd in the playoffs with a pair of double-doubles (35 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 points, 10 rebounds). Lauryn Vieira averaged 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals in the tournament. Hannah Wentworth also averages double-figures with 14.0 points, while Ragnheidur Einarsdottir averages 7.5 boards in the NCAA's.
- Eckerd has set numerous records throughout the season. The team set the single-season 3-pointer made record at 254, while Wentworth broke the individual record at 76. Vieira set the single-season assists mark at 186, and Maya Price broke the career blocks record at 118.
- Persson and Price were named to the All-SSC First team last week and D2CCA All-Region Second Team on Thursday. Persson averages 17.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, while Price averages 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
- Lauryn Vieira was selected as the SSC Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. She leads the team with 2.5 steals per game while averaging 10.0 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game.
- Wentworth and Nicole Scales also average double-figures with 12.0 and 10.9 points per game, respectively.
- EC's offense has been one of the best in the nation this year, ranking 10th in 3-pointers per game (8.9), 13th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.18), 15th in assists per game (16.5), 15th in field goal percentage (45.7), and 20th in scoring offense (74.4).
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
- No. 3 Tamps (32-1) sat at the top of the South Region Poll all season and solidified the No. 1 slot. They won the Sunshine State Conference regular-season and tournament championship.
- The Spartans have three players averaging double figures; the SSC Player of the Year - Sydney Kin (19.7), Melijah Sulivam (14.7), and Mya Giusto (10.4).
- Kin leads the defense with 10.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
- UT beat No. 8 seed Tuskegee (Ala.), 82-64, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday and topped No. 6 seed Lee (Tenn.), 73-51, in the semifinals on Saturday.
- NSU ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage (51.5), ninth in 3-point percentage (36.8), and ninth in assists per game (17.1).
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- This is the third meeting of the season between Eckerd and Tampa. Tampa took the first two tight matchups during the regular season. The Spartans took the first game, 56-54, in the Bob Martinez Center on a buzzer-beating jumper on January 14. At home, Eckerd rallied from a double-digit deficit to force overtime before falling 84-79 on February 15.
- It is Eckerd's seventh program appearance on the national stage and the Spartans' 15th. EC is appearing for the sixth straight year.
- It's Eckerd's first appearance in the Sweet 16 and the Spartans' second.
- Eckerd has also produced its sixth straight 20-win season.
- The winner will advance to the Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Sunday, March 19.
