Box Score TAMPA - Regular season Sunshine State Conference champion Tampa scored the first six points of the game and never trailed, downing the Moccasins 82-65 Wednesday night at Tampa.
The 16th-ranked Spartans improved their record to 24-3, 14-2 in the SSC. The Moccasins lost for the fifth time in the last seven games and dropped to 18-8, 8-7 in the SSC.
With Barry's 75-50 win over Lynn Wednesday night, the Lady Mocs still hold on to fourth place in the SSC. A win over Nova Southeastern Saturday night in their regular season finale at Jenkins Field House will earn them a home game in the first round of the SSC Tournament Wednesday night.
Against the Spartans, the Moccasins got as close as one point, 25-24, with 5:05 left in the first half, but Tampa outscored the Moccasins 12-5 the rest of the half to take a 37-29 lead at halftime. Trailing 51-40 with 14:01 left in the game, the Moccasins went scoreless for over four minutes, while Tampa put up 13 unanswered points and the Moccasins never got closer than 14 the rest of the game.
Chelsea Johnson led the Moccasins with 23 points and Nicolle DiRaimo added 11, but no one else was in double figures for FSC.
Taja Green and Gianna Messina each scored 25 for Tampa.
Saturday's regular season finale with Nova Southeastern is set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. at Jenkins Field House. The game will be broadast live on the internet on Sportsline Radio Network (SLRN). Following the game, the Moccasins' two seniors, DiRaimo and Krystian Thompson, will be recognized.
