Box Score LAKELAND - Nicolle DiRaimo scored five points and made two key steals in the final two minutes to help the Moccasins post a come-from-behind 75-66 Sunshine State Conference win over Tampa here Wednesday night at Jenkins Field House.
Her five points were part of an 11-0 run that took the Moccasins from a 64-60 deficit with 3:57 left to a 71-64 lead with 35 seconds remaining. Her layup and subsequent free throw put the Moccasins ahead 65-64 at the 2:05 mark. She stole the ball on Tampa's next possession and Emer Foley converted a pair of free throws. After a Tampa miss, DiRaimo scored on a layup to put FSC ahead 69-64, then she came up with another steal on Tampa's next possession. Chelsea Johnson sank a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left to complete the 11-0 run. After one final Tampa basket,the Moccasins closed out the game hitting four straight free throws.
In a matchup of the SSC's top scoring team, the Moccasins, against the league's top defensive team, Tampa, the offense prevailed. The Moccasins' 75 points were just off their season average of 78.5 points per game, but were 30 points better than Tampa's defensive average of 45.4 points per game.
DiRaimo finished with 15 points, a team-high nine rebounds and four steals. Foley, in her first start of the season, led the Moccasins with a season-high 20 points. She started in place of Michaela Hawley, who sat out the game with a knee injury. Johnson, who had just two free throws in the first half, finished with 16 points and Megan Dzikas tossed in 10 points and a season-high eight assists in the victory.
The win was the Moccasins' third straight and boosted their record to 13-3, 4-2 in the SSC. Tampa fell to 12-4, 3-3 in the SSC.
The Moccasins are on the road Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. game in Boca Raton against Lynn.
