Box Score LAKELAND - The Moccasins appeared to be headed for the thrill of victory with a 10-point lead with 5:18 remaining, but Tampa turned it into the agony of defeat, scoring with 2.5 seconds left to win 69-68 Wednesday night at Jenkins Field House.
Angela Guiu hit a short jumper from the left side, her only basket of the game, to give the Spartans the win and sole possession of first place in the Sunshine State Conference. Michaela Hawley had blocked a layup attempt by Catriana Messina with six seconds left but Tampa regained possession when the scramble for the rebound went off the Moccasins. The inbounds pass from the baseline went to Guiu, who sank her game-winning basket. The Moccasins called a timeout after the basket, but had to come the length of the floor and couldn't get a shot off before the final buzzer.
The Moccasins had appeared to catch a break when Tampa's scoring and rebounding leader, Tiara Cook, picked up her fourth foul with 15:53 remaining and the Moccasins up one. With Cook on the bench, the Moccasins built a 49-40 advantage. Cook returned with 11:45 left and the Moccasins were still up by 10, 62-52, after Danielle Walsh sank a three-pointer with 5:18 left.
A pair of free throws by Megan Dzikas had the Mocs on top 66-58 with 3:11 left before Tampa scored seven unanswered points to trim the margin to one, 66-65, at the 2:07 mark. Tanja Speaker hit a pair of free throws to put the lead back up to three with 2:04 left, but those would be the Moccasins' final points, as they committed a turnover and missed a layup on their last two possessions before Guiu's basket.
Hawley led the Moccasins with 26 points, matching her career scoring high. Chelsea Johnson added 17 points, but one else was in double figures.
Gianna Messina led Tampa with 24 points and Caitlyn Mitryk tossed in 17, while Cook finished with her fifth straight double-double, 14 points and 11 rebounds, before fouling out with 2:04 remaining.
The Moccasins play their final non-conference game of the season Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. at Jenkins Field House against Palm Beach Atlantic. The game will be broadcast live on the internet on SportsLine Radio Network (SLRN).
