Box Score
LAKELAND - Florida Southern used career-high performances from seniors Kirstin McIntyre (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and Melanie Ducott (North Lauderdale, Fla.) to upset 20th-ranked Nova Southeastern 73-70 in overtime in Sunshine State Conference action in front of a season-high 1,077 fans at Jenkins Field House. The game was broadcast nationally on the CBS Sports Network as part of the NCAA Division II National Game of the Week package.
The victory snapped a five-game losing streak and an eight-game losing skid in SSC play for the Moccasins and improved them to 9-12 overall and 3-8 in the SSC, while NSU fell to 15-6 overall and 7-4 in the league standings.
It looked as if the Mocs would drop its sixth straight game when the Sharks took an 11 point lead at 58-47 with 5:42 left in the game, but the Mocs buoyed by a strong home crowd went on a 11-0 run capped by a two McIntyre free throws with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 58. The Sharks, who lost its second straight game, appeared to have earned the win after Taylor Buie scored on a lay-up and hit a free throw to complete a three-point play with 3.2 seconds left. Buie's three-point play gave NSU a 61-58 lead.
The Mocs, though, answered on the ensuing possession as Ducott drilled towards halfcourt and heaved shot from beyond the halfcourt line that went through the basket right before the buzzer sound to tie the game at 61 and force overtime.
Here is a YouTube video clip of Ducott's half-court shot at the buzzer that sent Saturday's game into overtime
"We played really hard today," Mocs first year head coach Holly Borchers said.
In the extra session, which was the first for both teams this season, the Mocs jumped out to a 69-63 lead with 2:42 left following a lay-up by freshman forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.). Harris scored four of her season-high tying 14 points in overtime before fouling out with 2:20 remaining and added 11 rebounds to post her second double-double of the season.
The Mocs finished the game with a 46-36 edge on the glass and had a 15-10 advantage in second chance points.
NSU wouldn't go away as they scored five straight points to pull within 69-68 with 2:06 left. The Mocs used two Ducott free throws and a free throw by freshman guard Ali Sanders (Carpentersville, Ill.) gave the Mocs a 72-68 lead with 1:47 left, the Sharks moved within two points at 72-70 following two free throws by Amanda Burakoski with 1:39 left. Neither team would score over next minute, until McIntyre hit 1-of-2 free throws to give FSC a 73-70 lead.
Danielle Robison's three-point attempt with two seconds fell short and sealed the Mocs victory.
McIntyre put on an offensive display on the game as she finished with a career-high 28 points and added 12 rebounds for her team-leading fourth double-double. McIntyre scored the Mocs final four points of the first half and the first seven points of the second half. She tallied 14 of her 27 points in the first half.
In addition to McIntyre, Ducott also set a new career high as she scored 22 points, including hitting four treys and added five boards in the win. Freshman guard Caitlin Lindsey (Port Charlotte, Fla.) dished out a career-high eight assists in the game.
In the opening half, NSU jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the opening seven-plus minutes, before McIntyre and Harris combined to score six points to tie the game at 11 with 11:10 remaining. NSU would once again push its lead to as much as six points (19-13) following a lay-up by Robinson with 7:26 left, before the Mocs used a 9-1 run to take a 22-20 lead. The run was capped by a lay-up from McIntyre with 2:34 left in the opening half.
The Sharks would close the half on a 9-2 run to take a 29-24 lead at the half.
Robinson led three Sharks in double figures with 16 points, while Burakoski added 14 points and eight boards and Meixandra Porter finished with 10 points.
The Mocs finished the game shooting a season-high 47 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line, while NSU shot 38 percent from the floor and was held to 13 percent (3-for-23) shooting from long distance.
FSC will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 13 as they host Saint Leo in a 5:30 p.m. SSC contest at Jenkins Field House. SLU earned a 56-46 win over the Mocs at Saint Leo on Jan. 9.
