Box Score DAVIE – The baskets didn't fall for the Florida Southern women's basketball team in its 86-69 loss to its toughest opponent of the season, No. 11 Nova Southeastern, at the NSU Arena Saturday afternoon.
Although the Moccasins (8-4, 2-1 SSC) outshot the Sharks (11-2, 3-1 SSC), 75-to-56, they only made 28.0 percent of their field goals, a season low. On the other hand, NSU, which entered the contest third in Division II in field goal percentage, was 31-for-56 (55.4 percent) from the field and 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) from beyond the arc.
After scoring a season-high 52 points in the paint at Saint Leo on Wednesday, the Mocs managed a season-low 14 while NSU's offense, powered by forward Jasmine Wilkins' 17 points, scored 42 in the paint.
Guard Cashala Thompson had a tremendous first half. The senior from Tucson, Ariz., was responsible for six of her team's 10 first-half field goals and surpassed her previous season-high with 17 points. A 3-point specialists, Thompson was 5-for-8 from downtown in the opening period.
Thompson is now eighth on all-time in program history with 91 career 3-pointers. She currently ranks third all-time in career 3-point field goal percentage at 37.0 percent.
The Mocs took their only lead of the game in the opening moments. Junior guard Sydni Payne (Conyers, Ga.) recorded steals on the Sharks' first two possessions, the second leading to a Thompson jumper at 19:23.
Thompson hit her first trey at 15:18, bringing FSC within one at 8-7. Her second made with 16-12 with 12 minutes remaining in the half.
Guard Jensen Blassage (Rockford, Ill.) connected on a pair of free throws after being fouled by NSU guard Winter Rodriguez midway through the period as the Mocs trailed 21-15. Blassage would connect on her third free throw to complete an and-one play in the second half. The freshman has now made 13 consecutive foul shots over her last four games.
Blassage ended the first half by stealing the ball from Nova Southeastern guard Alexis Murphy and taking it to the other end of the floor for a last-second layup by senior guard Syerra Davis (Tolleson, Ariz.). Davis scored 12 and finished one rebound shy of a double-double.
The Mocs trailed by 10 at the half, 45-35.
The Mocs only turned the ball over twice in the second half, but were still cold from the field, shooting 11-for-40 (27.5 percent).
Junior forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.) scored a three-point play with a bucket and a free throw at 14:07 in the second half. Harris' and-one made it 56-45, and the 11-point deficit was the closest the Mocs would come in the final 14 minutes.
The Sharks used the 3-point shot to extend the lead to as much as 25 points. Danielle Robinson and Monaye Merritt scored back-to-back treys 25 seconds apart to make it 65-47 with just over 11 minutes remaining. Molly Bloomer scored from distance inside of 10 minutes and Murphy gave NSU its first 25-point lead, 77-52, with her second 3-pointer with 7:29 left.
Sophomore guard Morgan Siebka (Slippery Rock, Pa.) scored all eight of her points in the second half. She sank a pair of late 3-pointers, the first with approximately six minutes remaining and the second four minutes later.
Christin Strawbridge pulled down a game-high 12 boards and added eight points. Her second bucket in the first half put the sophomore from Lakeland past 350 career points.
Florida Southern will return to Jenkins Field House to host Eckerd in its first of two consecutive Sunshine State Conference contests on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 17, the Mocs will host Florida Tech, also at 5:30 p.m.
