ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd women's basketball team battled against No. 19 Tampa, but were not able to complete the upset, falling 68-64 on Wednesday night at St. Pete College.
Chance Bucher opened the game on a four-point tear. The Tritons maintained their lead for nearly eight minutes, when Tampa tied the score at eight at the 2:42 mark of the first quarter. The teams traded baskets and swapped leads one more time in the frame before Bucher tied the game heading into the second quarter. Tampa came out firing in the second quarter, going on a five point run to open. A three by Bucher evened the game at 17 all. Ieva Korzane followed up with a three to flip the score to Eckerd's favor. The Tritons were shooting well from distance in the frame, going 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. A pair of free throws tied it back for the Spartans to head into the intermission, 33-33.
It was neck-and-neck to start the second half of action, with the Tritons and Spartans swapping leads six times in the frame, while the score was tied five times. Tampa led by two heading into the final 10 minutes of play. Bucher brought the Tritons back within one, before the Spartans netted a three for a four-point favor. The Spartans worked up to a seven-point lead with less than a minute remaining in the game, when a layup by Jaylen Ostenson made it a two-possession game. Eckerd was able to whittle its deficit down to three in the waning seconds of the game. The Spartans closed out the game with one made free throw to take the game 68-64.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: No. 19 Tampa 68, Eckerd 64
RECORDS: Eckerd 9-4 (4-3 SSC); Tampa 9-4 (4-3 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Bucher led the squad with 21 points. Michaelsen and Ostenson rounded out double-figures with 16 and 11 points, respectively.
- Both Bucher and Ostenson flirted with a double-double, adding nine boards apiece.
- Michaelsen went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
- Eckerd shot 66.7 percent from three in the second frame, and 35.7 percent in the game.
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels on Saturday to face Palm Beach Atlantic at 2:00 PM.
