Mocs Fall In OT At Nova

In a game that had 63 fouls called and saw nine players foul out, Nova Southeastern outlasted the Moccasins 92-87 in overtime Saturday afternoon at Ft. Lauderdale.

Each team lost four starters on fouls and each team went to the free throw line 37 times.

The Moccasins (10-3, 2-2 in the Sunshine State Conference) got off to a good start and led by as many as 13 in the first half, although the Sharks (9-4, 2-2 SSC) were able to trim the margin to eight points at halftime, 38-30.

In the second half the Sharks started with a 12-3 run that put them ahead briefly.  Neither team led by more than six the rest of the game.  The Moccasins were up 70-64 with 4:05 remaining and still led 75-71 after a Megan Dzikas free throw with 0:42 left.  On Nova’s next possession, Tracy Fosterling blocked Jessica Russi’s shot, but the Sharks’ Quinessa Johnson controlled the rebound and Russi hit a follow-up shot to make it 75-73 with 0:24 to go.  The Moccasins missed a shot on their next possession and Russi hit another basket with :10 left to tie the game at 75-75.  FSC got a shot from Taylor Maldonado with :05 left, but it was off target, forcing the overtime.

In the overtime, Danielle Robinson took over for the Sharks, scoring 11 of her game-high 27 points.  With 0:58 left, she made a pair of free throws to put Nova ahead 85-84.

With Nova leading 87-86, the Moccasins thought they had the ball after a steal by Fosterling with nine seconds to go, but Danielle Walsh was called for an offensive foul and the Moccasins also were assessed a technical foul for protesting the call.  Russi and Robinson each hit a pair of free throws in the final four seconds to clinch the Sharks’ win.

Fosterling, Walsh, Michaela Hawley and Morgan Lamberg all fouled for the Moccasins.  Hawley led the Moccasins with 26 points before fouling out with 2:03 left in regulation.  Dzikas scored a season-high 20 points and Fosterling added 17.

In addition to Robinson’s 27 points, the Sharks received 24 from Meixandra Porter and 16 off the bench from Russi.

The Moccasins were 29-37 from the free throw line, while the Sharks were 27-37. 

FSC plays at Saint Leo Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.