Box Score
LAKELAND â€" An early first-half outburst by 25th-ranked Tampa put Florida Southern in a double-digit hole, and though the Moccasins came back to make a game of it early in the second half, the Spartans later pulled away for a 51-31 victory.
Tampa (12-3, 3-3 Sunshine State Conference) and Florida Southern (8-8, 2-4) came into the night ranked among the nation’s best teams in defensive scoring, and it was that type of game all the way to the end. It was the 12th time this year Florida Southern held a team to 58 points or less, and for Tampa, it was the seventh time an opposing team scored in the 40’s or 30’s.
The Spartans led 25-12 at halftime, but if not for Catherine Matthews, they would have been in the teens as well. Matthews scored all nine of her points in the first half while going 3-for-4 from behind the arc. The sophomore guard did not even attempt a shot in the second half when Moriah Hodge and Juliana Cavallaro each scored 10 for the Spartans.
Matthews made two of her 3-pointers during the first 4:15 of the game when UT jumped out to an 11-3 lead. The Spartans then led 13-3 with seven minutes gone, before the Moccasins played them almost evenly for the remainder of the first half. Baskets by junior Morgan Lamberg (Mukwanago, WI) and freshman Caitlin Lindsey (Port Charlotte, FL), along with a free throw by senior Kirstin McIntyre (Hopewell Junction, NY) got the deficit down to nine with five minutes to play, but the Spartans were able to open up a little more breathing room by holding the Mocs to just two more points before halftime. That came after Florida Southern held Tampa to only two field goals in the final eight minutes of the half.
The Moccasins scored the first five points of the second half when McIntyre knocked down a pair of free throws and senior Melanie Ducott (North Lauderdale, FL)Â connected on a 3-pointer. That got the Mocs within 25-17, but the Spartans made four straight free throws on their next two possessions to go up by double digits once more.
It was still a 12-point game with 11 minutes to play, but Tampa put things out of reach by going on a 12-0 run, with Hodge scoring eight of those points. McIntyre’s layup at the 2-minute mark ended the Mocs’ scoring drought, but the Spartans were still able to hold them to 20 percent shooting in the game.
McIntyre finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Moccasins, and also added four steals. Lindsey had seven points, four rebounds and three assists, and Lamberg added six points and six rebounds. The Mocs also got big rebounding numbers from senior Tracy Fosterling (8) and freshman Mariah Harris (7). They helped the Mocs out-rebound the Spartans, 41-34. Fosterling had three blocked shots as well.
Tampa shot just 38 percent from the floor overall, but was slightly higher from 3-point range by making 4-of-9. Hodge led the Spartans with 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Cavallaro scored 12 points with five rebounds.
Florida Southern will be on the road Saturday at Florida Tech with a 2:00 p.m. tip-off. The Panthers upset Nova Southeastern on Wednesday night, forcing a 3-way tie for first in the SSC standings, and keeping Florida Southern only two games behind the leaders.
