Box Score
LAKELAND - Florida Southern's conference woes continued tonight as the Moccasins fell to fifth-ranked Nova Southeastern, 69-58, in Sunshine State Conference play at the Jenkins Field House.
The loss drops Florida Southern's overall record to 5-14 on the season, while their conference mark drops to 0-9, while the Sharks improved their record to 17-1 and 8-1 in the SSC with the victory, their second of the season over the Mocs.
NSU scored the night's first basket at 19:48 before Florida Southern tied the game one minute later with a layup from senior forward Morgan Lamberg (Mukwonago, Wis.). FSC took their first lead of the game at 18:00 off a layup from sophomore forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.) before NSU tied the score with two free throws.
Florida Southern took the lead again at 15:58 with a layup from freshman forward Christin Strawbridge (Lakeland, Fla.), scoring six consecutive points to pull ahead 10-4 early in the half. A Shark three made it a three point game before a trey from junior guard Cashala Thompson (Tucson, Ariz.) seconds later put the Mocs back up by six.
Nova Southeastern scored 12 unanswered points to pull ahead by five with just over eight minutes to go in the half before a layup from freshman guard Morgan Siebka (Slippery Rock, Pa.) ended the Mocs' scoring drought. The Moccasins tied the score at 20 with 6:50 to go after a layup from sophomore guard Ali Sanders (Sleepy Hollow, Ill.) and a three from Thompson.
The teams traded baskets for the next two minutes, tying the score twice with points from Sanders and Lamberg, before the Sharks pulled ahead with eight straight points to give them an eight-point lead with 3:19 to go before halftime. Thompson's second trey of the half, coupled with a layup from Strawbridge with 10 seconds to go before the end, put the Mocs down six going into the break.
Thompson led the Mocs with eight points off 3-5 shooting from the floor, while Sanders and Strawbridge were next with six points each. Junior guard Syerra Davis (Tolleson, Ariz.) pulled down five of Florida Southern's 17 first-half rebounds, while Lamberg dished out three assists. FSC outrebounded Nova 17-16, and were barely outshot in the first half (42.9 percent to 42.3 percent).
The Sharks lead grew to eight after a successful jumper from forward Richelle Carach before another three from Thompson brought the Mocs to within five. An NSU layup put them up seven before a basket from Strawbridge put the deficit back at five for Florida Southern.
Nova Southeastern would score seven straight points to go up by 12 with just over thirteen minutes to go in the game before a Sanders jumper and free throw by Siebka put the Mocs down nine.
The Mocs kept it close for most of the second half, trailing by seven with five minutes to go after a layup from Harris. NSU's shooters, however, were too accurate down the stretch, and the Sharks used a late 11-2 run to go ahead by 16 with 1:43 to go in the game.
A Strawbridge layup and Thompson three brought the Mocs to within 11, before a layup from Carach put NSU back up 13 with 12 seconds to go. A Sanders jumper with two seconds left in the game was the game's final basket.
Strawbridge led the Mocs on the night with as she tied her career high with 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds, falling just one rebound shy of her second double-double in a Moccasin uniform. Thompson and Sanders also scored in double-figures for the Mocs with 14 from Thompson and 13 from Sanders.
Carach was the top scorer and rebounder for the Sharks, dropping 15 points while pulling down 10 boards. Amanda Burakoski, Jasmine Wilkins and Danielle Robinson also hit double-figures as they scored 14, 12 and 10 points respectively.
FSC was outrebounded by NSU, with the Sharks pulling down 41 boards to FSC's 34. NSU also dished out more assists (18-11), stole the ball more times (9-4) and fouled less (22-15). NSU's bench also outscored Florida Southern's, 24-19, and scored more points in the paint and off of turnovers.
The Mocs resume action on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. when they square off against Barry in Miami Shores. The Moccasins and Buccaneers last met on Jan. 4, with the Buccaneers pulling out a 63-58 win at Jenkins Field House. Barry suffered a 74-42 road loss Saturday at Tampa to fall to 11-7 overall and 4-5 in the SSC.
