FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Ieva Korzane scored a career-high 33 points as the Eckerd women's basketball team took down the previously-undefeated and No. 4 ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks by a score of 79-65.
The Tritons raced out to a double-digit lead in the opening 10 minutes, outscoring the Sharks 25-13 while shooting 47 percent in the first quarter. Nova Southeastern scored first, but
Kailyn Terrell's three-pointer on Eckerd's ensuing possession put the Tritons in front for good. The triple sparked an 11-4 run over just more than three minutes before
Jaylen Ostenson's layup at the two-minute mark to make it 20-10. A lay-in by Korzane as time expired sent Eckerd into the second quarter with a 12-point advantage.
After limiting the Sharks to 27 percent shooting in the opening quarter, the Eckerd defense was even stronger in the second, holding Nova Southeastern to just seven points on a 2-18 effort from the floor. The Tritons opened the period on a 10-0 run and kept the Sharks scoreless for the first six minutes. Korzane accounted for half of Eckerd's points during the run and scored nine in the quarter, helping the Tritons take a 16-7 edge in the period and a commanding 41-20 lead into halftime.
Eckerd shot a blistering 73 percent in the third quarter, though Nova Southeastern held a slim 22-20 edge in the period after attempting seven more shots and going a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. The teams traded baskets early, with the margin never dipping below 17 or climbing above 21 through the first seven-plus minutes.
Greta Carollo extended the lead to 23 with a jumper to make it 58-35, and
Savannah Borowicz followed with a three to push the advantage to 24, the Tritons' largest lead of the game. Nova Southeastern closed the quarter with the final five points to pull within 19 at 61-42 heading into the fourth.
It was a slow start to the final period offensively for both teams, with each collecting just five points apiece through the first five minutes. Nova Southeastern used a three-point play to cut the deficit to 16, but
Emma Egan answered with an and-one to keep Eckerd's lead at 19. The Sharks continued to chip away, pulling within 13 at the two-minute mark and 12 with one minute remaining, but the Tritons shut the door by making three of their final four field goals and all of their final four looks from the charity stripe.
Korzane led all scorers with 33 points on 12-16 shooting while adding seven rebounds. Egan recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, along with five assists, and Ostenson chipped in nine points and seven boards. Defensively, the Tritons held the Sharks to 30 percent shooting.
With the win, Eckerd improved to 15-4 overall and 10-2 in SSC play. The Tritons now sit alone in second place, trailing Nova Southeastern by one game for first. Eckerd returns to action Saturday at Rollins.
