Box Score TAMPA - In a game that was tied 10 times and had 12 lead changes, Tampa outlasted the Moccasins 71-66 here Wednesday night.
The Spartans, improving to 21-5, 11-4 in the Sunshine State Conference, had an answer to every Moccasin challenge down the stretch. The 10th and final tie of the game came on Tanja Speaker's three-pointer with 2:00 left that knotted the game at 62-62. The Spartans answered with a three-point play by Kym Taylor. The Moccasins trimmed the margin to one point, 65-64, on a pair of free throws by Nicolle DiRaimo with 1:27 remaining, but could not get any closer, as they missed their final three shots from the field.
Chelsea Johnson, who led the Moccasins with 16 points, reached a career milestone. Her two free throws with 29 seconds left were career points 1,000 and 1,001. She reached that milestone in her 54th career game. The Moccasins' career scoring leader, Tarra Blackwell, did not score her 1000th career point until her 61st game.
In addition to Johnson's 16 points, DiRaimo scored 13, Michaela Hawley had 11 and Megan Dzikas added 10.
Tampa, however, received 22 points each from Tiara Cook and Gianna Messina, as well as 16 points from Taylor.
With the loss, the Moccasins fell to 18-8, 8-7 in the SSC. They will finish the regular season at home Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against defending SSC champion Nova Southeastern. The Sharks defeated Florida Tech Wednesday night to move into a tie for fourth place with the Moccasins, meaning Saturday night's game will determine whether the Moccasins or the Sharks earn the fourth seed in the SSC Tournament and get a home game in the first round on March 4.
The Moccasins' two seniors - Emer Foley and Alli Fogle - will be recognized immediately following Saturday's game.
