TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 13 Eckerd women's basketball team's historic season ended on Monday night in the Sweet 16 as the No. 3 Spartans used a 52.6 shooting percentage to top the Tritons, 76-53, at the Bob Martinez Center.
The Spartans opened the game with 10 consecutive points before a Hannah Wentworth triple got Eckerd on the board. UT pushed back out by 10, but a Lauryn Vieira layup at the end of the frame pulled EC within seven at 17-10.
The Spartans pushed out to a 17-point lead, 33-16, at the 4:11 mark. However, back-to-back triples by Sofia Persson and Cirkeline Rimdal cut the Tritons' deficit to 11. UT pushed back in front by 18, but a pair of baskets by Vieira cut the Tampa lead to 14 (40-26) at the break.
Eckerd slowed down the Spartans' offense to start the second half, limiting them to just four points over the first five minutes. However, the Tritons still trailed by double-digits. A Person triple at the 2:25 mark cut EC's deficit to 48-34 before UT ended the third up 53-36.
Two triples to start the final frame put Tampa up by 23. Back-to-back layups by Persson and Vieira pulled Eckerd within 59-40. Eckerd went on a 9-4 run over the final three minutes but was unable to make up the difference.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: No. 3 Tampa 76, No. 13 Eckerd 53
RECORDS: Eckerd 26-6; Tampa 33-1
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Vieira led Eckerd with 19 points, while Wentworth added 14.
- Persson posted her third double-double of the NCAA Tournament with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- Vieira also grabbed seven rebounds and two steals.
- Vieira and Persson were named to the all-tournament team. Vieira averaged 19.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals while shooting 60.0 percent over the NCAA Tournament. Persson averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds over the three-game stretch.
- The Tritons' 26 program wins are one off the program record of 27 set in 2016-17, while EC's 18 SSC wins set a program best.
- Eckerd made its first program appearance in the Sweet 16.
- Wentworth ends the season with 99 triples, one off tying the SSC single-season record of 100.
- Vieira ends the season with 78 steals, ranking fourth in single-season records.
- Persson ends her career with a 86.7 free throw percentage setting a career program record.
- Maya Price ends the season with a 59.7 field goal percentage, setting a program single-season record. She also ends her career with a 56.7 career field goal percentage setting a program record.
- The loss brings the end of the career of Eckerd's six seniors: Persson, Rimdal, Price, Ragnheidur Einarsdottir, Macie McArthur, and Nicole Scales.
