LAKELAND - The Lady Mocs dug themselves into a 16-point hole in the first half and it took the second half plus an overtime period to get out of it, but they posted their 12th straight win with a 78-68 decision over Eckerd Wednesday night at Jenkins Field House.
Shooting just 24.1 percent from the field in the first half, the Moccasins saw Eckerd lead by as many as 19 in the first half before trimming the deficit to 37-21 at halftime. The Tritons shot 51.7% from the field in the first half.
Still down by 11 with a little over 10 minutes left in the game, the Moccasins went on a 12-2 run that narrowed the margin to one at 51-50 with 7:22 to go. A pair of free throws by Michaela Hawley tied the game at 54-54 at the 6:18 mark. After the Moccasins went up by four, a free throw by Jordan Stacey and Taylor Young's three-pointer for Eckerd tied it at 58-58 with 4:03 to go. Chelsea Johnson's basket with 3:26 left regained the lead for FSC and it looked like the Mocs might prevail in regulation, as she hit another basket with 1:04 left to put the Moccasins ahead 64-59.
Following an Eckerd basket by Tijana Brdar with 47 seconds left, the Mocs had the ball and a chance to ice the game, but a turnover with 30 seconds left gave Eckerd a chance and Tritons got a three-pointer from Kati Rausberg with 15 seconds left to force the overtime.
It was all Moccasins in the extra session, as they scored the first nine points and kept Eckerd scoreless for the first 3:28.
Hawley led the Moccasins with 21 points, 16 of them in the second half. Nicolle DiRaimo recorded her second straight double-double and third of the season with an 18-point, 17-rebound performance. Her 17 rebounds were a career high. Megan Dzikas tossed in 17 points and Johnson added 15. Johnson made just one three-pointer in the game, so she still needs two more to become the FSC career-leader in three-pointers made.
The Moccasins outscored the Tritons 23-6 at the free throw line, outrebounded them 50-44 and forced 23 turnovers, 18 in the second half, while committing only nine themselves.
Saturday the Moccasins play at Rollins at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the internet on SportsLine Radio Network (SLRN).
