LAKELAND, Fla. - Despite rallying back in the fourth quarter, the Eckerd women's basketball team fell 82-79 to No. 22 Nova Southeastern in overtime on Saturday afternoon.
The opening frame saw plenty of back-and-forth action, as the teams traded baskets on nearly every possession. Paloma Simón and Ieva Korzane led the charge in the opening frame with two points apiece, as Simón was 2-for-2 on free throws in the final minute before a go ahead jumper by the Sharks gave them the 18-17 advantage after the first period. The back-and-forth nature continued in the second quarter, before Eckerd began to build its first real lead of the game. Back-to-back layups by Korzane gave Eckerd a 28-24 favor near the halfway mark of the frame. In the final two minutes, Emma Egan went on a five-point run, putting the Tritons up 34-29. The Sharks equalized late to head into the half knotted at 34.
Nova Southeastern began to build some momentum in the third quarter, going on a 10-point, unanswered run near the halfway point. Korzane and Jaylen Ostenson chipped away at the seven-point lead. Nearly two minutes of scoreless action closed the period with Eckerd trailing by two. The Sharks worked back to their seven-point lead, to which Lisa Michaelsen and Ostenson brought it back to a one-possession game. The tides changed when Michaelsen hit a game-tying triple with 1:05 remaining in regulation. Made free-throws by Ostenson and Korzane gave Eckerd a narrow 70-67 advantage with 19 seconds remaining. However, Alana Ellis matched Michaelsen with a game-tying triple with 12 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
Korzane's strong performance at the free throw line gave the Tritons an advantage. A layup by Ostenson kept Eckerd with a three-point lead for a little longer, before the Sharks successfully sank four free throws to flip the three-point lead to their favor. After Simón sank a pair of free throws to shrink the Triton deficit to one, a free throw for the Sharks gave them the lead by a basket once again. Simón found herself at the free throw line with five seconds remaining and a chance to tie the game. She made one-of-two before the Sharks closed the game on a pair of free throws, 82-79.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 79, No. 22 Nova Southeastern 82 (OT)
RECORDS: Eckerd 9-3 (4-2 SSC); Nova Southeastern 11-2 (4-1 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Ostenson led the team with 21 points. Korzane and Lisa Michaelsen rounded out double-figures with 20 and 14 points, respectively.
- Michaelsen flirted with a double-double, adding eight rebounds.
- Michaelsen shot 4-for-5 from distance. Ostensen tacked on three 3-pointers of her own, as the team shot 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
- Greta Carollo had a strong off-ball presence, with five assists and three blocks.
- EC outshot NSU 8-4 on fast breaks.
UP NEXT
Eckerd will host the University of Tampa on Wednesday at 5:30 PM at Saint Pete College.
