Box Score BOCA RATON - Florida Southern's offense exploded for a season-high 90 points as the Moccasins knocked off the Fighting Knights of Lynn University in Sunshine State Conference action Saturday afternoon.
The much-needed 90-85 victory snapped a four-game losing streak. The Mocs improved to 9-7 overall and 3-4 inside the SSC. Lynn is now 7-9 with a 1-6 league record.
"It feels good to get a win again," said first-year head coach Betsy Harris. "I am proud of them, but we need to keep it up heading into next Wednesday's game with Rollins."
Saturday's game marked the first time the Mocs surpassed the 90-point plateau since November 30, 2011. That night, they dropped 99 in a 51-point win over Flagler.
The Mocs' effort against the Fighting Knights was aided by 35 free throws, three shy of the program's all-time record for made free throws in a game. They finished 35-for-45 from the foul line, this after going a mere 2-for-5 in Wednesday's loss against Tampa. In addition, 40 of FSC's free throw attempts came in the second half.
"I told them to be more aggressive in the second half," Harris said.
Lynn was 31-for-47 from the free throw line.
Five Mocs scored double-digit points led by 16-point efforts from seniors Syerra Davis and Cashala Thompson and junior Ali Sanders. For Sanders, it was a season high.
"We need that more from her," Harris said of the guard from Sleepy Hollow, Ill. "She played very well today."
Davis made 10 of her 12 shots from the charity stripe and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Thompson sunk four 3-pointers while Sanders was 5-for-9 from the field and 6-for-7 from the line.
Junior guard Sydni Payne (Conyers, Ga.) and sophomore forward Gianna Vastola (Sarasota, Fla.) each chipped in 11 points.
Thompson (Tucson, Ariz) helped her team race out to an early lead with her first trey at 17:24, putting the Mocs ahead 8-4.
Lynn's Charla Nelson-James scored five of the next nine points in the game as part of a 13-7 run to give the Fighting Knights a one-point lead 2:33 later at 11-10. Tylar Tracy capped off the run with a 3-pointer to give Lynn its largest lead of the game, 17-12.
Payne and Thompson hit back-to-back threes 34 seconds apart midway through the opening half as the Mocs regained the lead for good. The latter 3-pointer at 9:32 gave FSC a 23-18 advantage.
Thompson buried her fourth trey of the half with 4:12 remaining, once again extending the lead to five at 32-27. It was the 100th 3-pointer of her career. She stands sixth all-time in program history in made 3-point field goals and needs 31 more to tie Meghana Saoji (2004-07) for fifth place.
Florida Southern led 40-36 at the break.
The Mocs netted the first six points of the second half to reach their first double-digit lead. Freshman guard Jensen Blassage (Rockford, Ill.) made her two free throws just over a minute into the second half to put the Mocs ahead 46-36. Four minutes later, she scored a fast-break layup and the ensuing foul shot to complete the unconventional three-point play. FSC led 49-38.
Sophomore forward Christin Strawbridge (Lakeland, Fla.) gave the Mocs their first 13-point lead with her only field goal halfway through the period, making it 61-48 in favor of FSC. Davis (Tolleson, Ariz.) matched the effort as her two free throws made it 70-57 with 6:51 remaining in regulation.
As their moniker suggests, the Fighting Knights fought back to cut the deficit to single digits. A 3-pointer from Lynn's Tifani Kerrison with 1:27 to go trimmed the Moccasins' cushion to 79-75. Sixteen seconds later, Zachara Bailey had it down to three points, 80-77.
Florida Southern's last 10 points were scored from the line as Lynn tried to foul their way back into the game. Blassage scored four of the last five points to finish 7-for-7 from the line. Since Dec. 19, she is 22-for-23 (95.7 percent) on free throw attempts.
The Mocs return to Jenkins Field House on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. to square off against the No. 14 Rollins Tars (14-2, 6-1 SSC), who sit atop the SSC standings.
