Box Score
LAKELAND â€" The end of the world might be looming on the horizon, but at the very least, Taylor Maldonado and Tracy Fosterling helped give Florida Southern one more win to savor. Maldonado’s two free throws with 5.3 seconds to play put Florida Southern ahead by two, and Fosterling stood her ground at the other end to draw a charge with one second remaining, sending the Moccasins to a 67-65 win over Alabama-Huntsville in the Terrace Hotel Classic.
By now, pretty much everyone knows about the impending end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, and what may or not happen when Saturday morning rolls around. What happened Wednesday afternoon in Jenkins Field House was a win by the Moccasins (5-4), who erased a 10-point deficit midway through the first half, with 5th-year senior Kirstin McIntyre (Hopewell Junction, NY) carrying them through a crucial 8-minute stretch that gave them the lead for good.
Junior Morgan Lamberg (Mukwanago, WI) made a lot of things happen too with her work in the paint, and the Mocs got several big plays off the bench from senior Melanie Ducott (North Lauderdale, FL) and freshman Caitlin Lindsey (Port Charlotte, FL). Combined with Florida Southern’s best shooting performance of the year, and a season-high eight 3-pointers, it was enough to get the Mocs a 2-point win they’ll take into Christmas break.
Ten minutes into the game, Florida Southern trailed 22-12 and had made only four field goals, and Alabama-Huntsville’s Halle Jarnagin had already scored 10 points by herself. That’s when the Moccasin offense, led by McIntyre, came to life. Over the next eight minutes, the Mocs chipped away at the deficit, with McIntyre scoring all 14 of Florida Southern’s 21 points during that stretch.
Those 14 points represented McIntyre’s total for the game, and without them, the Mocs may not have been in position for the win. She was 5-for-7 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the line during those eight minutes, tied the game at 27 and 29, and put the Mocs ahead, 31-29, on a basket with 3:15 to play in the first half. The Chargers (5-5) were able to tie the score again at 34, but the Mocs got a 3-pointer from Fosterling (Albuquerque, NM) and a break-away layup from Lindsey in the final minute to take a 39-35 lead at the break. Lindsey’s basket came after the freshman guard intercepted a pass near mid-court and barely beat the halftime horn with her layup.
Lamberg, who had a season-high 12 rebounds, scored Florida Southern’s first four points of the second half, but the Chargers tied the game at 43 on another basket by Jarnagin. The Mocs then went on a 15-4 run, as Ducott took control by assisting two baskets by Fosterling and hitting a pair of 3-point field goals. A 3-pointer by Lindsey gave FSC a 58-47 lead with 8:20 remaining.
Just as Alabama-Huntsville had trouble holding a 10-point lead in the first half, Florida Southern had problems holding its 11-point lead in the second. Maldonado’s 3-pointer made the score 65-58 with 2:23 to play, but the Mocs didn’t score again until her two free throws in the closing seconds.
The Chargers forced two turnovers in the final minute that resulted in five points and knotted the game at 65. Jasmine Hammon had a steal and basket that cut the gap to two, and Bailee Robinson’s 3-pointer was the equalizer with 34 ticks on the clock.
That gave the ball back to Florida Southern, and with the shot clock winding down, Maldonado was fouled driving to the basket with 5.3 seconds on the game clock. The junior guard from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania sank both free throws to give FSC a 67-65 lead. The Chargers did not call a timeout after the points, and instead pushed the ball up-court with Hammon taking it to the basket. Fosterling had position in the paint, however, and Hammon was called for the charge, essentially ending the game.
Maldonado and McIntyre each finished with 14 points, and Fosterling scored 13. Fosterling went 5-for-7 from the floor, hit both of her 3-point attempts, and had seven rebounds. Lamberg had eight points and was a big factor inside with 12 rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots.
Lindsey (7) and Ducott (6) combined for 13 points off the bench.
The Moccasins were also 8-for-16 from 3-point range and shot 44 percent from the floor overall.
Alabama-Huntsville was led by Jarnagin, who had 21 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and three steals. Bailee Robinson scored 17 points off the bench, and Hammon had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in a solid all-around effort for the Chargers.
Florida Southern is scheduled to return to the court on Sunday, December 30, when it hosts Maryville University (MO) at 1:00 p.m.
