DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - After a back-and-forth contest, where neither team was able to generate more than a two-possession lead, the Eckerd women's basketball team fell to top-seeded No. 15 Embry-Riddle, 60-56, in the SSC Tournament semifinals at the ICI Center on Thursday night.
After an initial pair of baskets by each team, they went cold from the floor over the next three minutes before the Eagles took a 7-5 favor. Eckerd answered with eight straight points for a 13-7 advantage. ERAU countered with eight consecutive points before taking a 15-14 lead to end the period. The teams traded baskets to start the second frame before five straight points gave the Tritons the 21-20 tilt. ERAU and EC had four lead changes and three ties over the final minutes of the half, with the Eagles holding a 28-26 edge at the half.
Back-to-back triples early in the second half put the Tritons up by four with 8:08 left. However, a run of six straight points gave Embry-Riddle a one-possession edge. The teams swapped leads down the stretch of the third quarter, with the Eagles holding a 44-41 favor. A triple with 7:21 left gave the Eagles a six-point lead. Eckerd cut its deficit to two with four minutes left, but the Eagles pushed out to six two minutes later. A 3-pointer and a jumper by Chance Bucher pulled the Tritons within one with 1:09 left. However, the Eagles made a traditional three-point play on the following possession to go back up by four. Jaylen Ostenson added a basket with 23 seconds left to pull Eckerd back within two. However, the Tritons were unable to get a stop on the defensive end and missed their shots in the waning moments, falling to Embry-Riddle.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: No. 15 Embry-Riddle 60, Eckerd 56
RECORDS: Eckerd 19-9, ERAU 25-4
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Chance Bucher led Eckerd with 16 points. She added her sixth double-double of the season and second of the week with 10 rebounds.
- Jaylen Ostenson (13) and Ieva Korzane (10) also added double figures.
- Korzane added a career-high eight rebounds.
- Lisa Michaelson posted three blocks, while Bucher had two.
- Eckerd shot 35.6 percent from the floor, while the Eagles shot 36.1 percent.
UP NEXT
Eckerd awaits its postseason fate, with the NCAA selection show set for Sunday at 10:30 PM. The Tritons are currently No. 9 in the region.
