Box Score Nova Southeastern connected on five three-pointers in the first four-and-a-half minutes, spurted to a 15-5 lead and went on to down the Moccasins 90-79 Saturday in their Sunshine State Conference game at Ft. Lauderdale.
The Moccasins (8-4, 2-2 SSC) actually scored the first five points of the game on a basket by Garrett Putman and a three-pointer by Seth Evans, but their lead didn't last.
A basket by A.J. Hawkins did give the Moccasins one additional lead, at 24-23, with 3:36 left in the first half, but the Sharks (6-6, 2-2 SSC) finished the period with an 11-2 run and led 34-26 at halftime.
Forced to play catch-up in the second half, the Moccasins were unable to get any closer than six points in the second period.
The Sharks were able to overcome 28 turnovers with a strong shooting performance. Shooting 49 percent from the field for the season, they shot 57 percent in the first half (12-21) and were even better in the second half, shooting 73 percent (16-22). They finished the game at 65 percent, the best any team has shot against the Moccasins this season. NSU was nine of 15 from three-point range and 25-33 from the free throw line.
After shooting 36 percent in the first half (12-33), the Moccasins improved to 47 percent in the second half and wound up at 42 percent for the game. FSC was six of 17 on three-pointers and 17-24 at the free throw line.
Evans, the Moccasins' leading scorer, was available for just four minutes in the first half, as he picked up two fouls in the first four minutes of the game. He played the entire second half though and led four Moccasins in double figures with 15 points. The SSC's leading free throw shooter coming into the game, Evans was nine of 10 at the free throw line, but actually relinquished his league lead to the Sharks’ Teddy Tassy, who went 5-5. Tassy raised his season free throw percentage to .9387, while Evans slipped to .9375.
Kevin Capers tossed in 14 points and had four steals in 23 minutes off the bench for the Moccasins. Dominic Lane had 13 points and Brett Bailey added 12.
Tassy, who didn't start the game, led the Sharks with 24 points, 16 in the second half. Robert Huntington had 17, while Iran Hollis and Louis Schonauer each scored 11.
Nova's victory was its first against the Moccasins since Dec. 1, 2007, and snapped a string of nine straight wins by the Moccasins over the Sharks.
FSC plays at Saint Leo Wednesday night at 7:30.
