LAKELAND, Fla. - An explosive third quarter gave the Eckerd women's basketball team the edge in their 64-53 victory over Columbus State (Ga.) at the Jenkins Field House on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars opened the game with pressure on both sides of the ball, including a full court press. Columbus State jumped out to a five-point lead early in the first quarter before Eckerd chipped away, knotting the score at eight. The teams traded baskets before the Tritons ended the quarter trailing 12-10. It wasn't until the halfway mark of the second frame that Eckerd took its first lead on a putback from Jaylen Ostensen. Eckerd was strong defensively, only allowing the Cougars six points in the second quarter. Lisa Michaelsen and Chance Bucher added points down the stretch for the Tritons to hold on to a 24-20 lead into the intermission.
Eckerd turned the corner in the third quarter, with an impressive 26 points in the frame. An eight-point run by Bucher, Greta Carollo, and Ostensen saw the Tritons lead 32-24. Back-to-back layups by Michaelsen gave Eckerd a double-digit lead just over halfway through the third period. Michaelsen tallied eight points in the quarter, for Eckerd to lead 50-34 heading into the final period. The Cougars chipped away at the Triton lead, whittling the favor down to single digits. A pair of layups off the bench for Ariadna Kuc late in the game brought EC back to a double-digit advantage, taking the game 64-53.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 64, Columbus State 53
RECORDS: Eckerd 6-2 (3-1 SSC); Columbus State 6-3 (1-0 PBC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Michaelsen recorded her first double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Bucher rounded out double-digit scoring figures with 11 points.
- Michaelsen shot 3-for-8 from distance, going 7-for-16 from the floor. her 22 points set a career-high.
- Emma Egan grabbed a season-high nine boards.
- EC outshot CSU in the paint, 30-24.
- Kuc's four points were her first as a Triton.
UP NEXT
The Tritons will travel to Melbourne, Fla. on Tuesday to face Florida Tech at 5:30 PM.
