Moccasin Game Notes vs. Barry
LAKELAND – Florida Southern will look to continue its hot play here Wednesday evening as the Moccasins host Barry in the Sunshine State Conference opener for both teams at Jenkins Field House. Tip-off for Wednesday's game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
The Moccasins, who are ranked sixth in this week's first regular season D2SIDA South Regional rankings, come into Wednesday's league opener with the Buccaneers sporting a 2-0 record after recording back-to-back victories last weekend over Paine (95-61) and Clark Atlanta (94-80) at the season opener SSC/SIAC Challenge in Lakeland.
It is the second consecutive season and third time in the last six years that the Mocs have started a season 2-0. Last season, FSC opened with back-to-back wins at the UT Spartan Challenge over North Georgia and Flagler, before dropping its next two games on the road at Valdosta State and Georgia Southwestern.
"We just have to continue to be consistent in our play each and every time we step on the court," Moccasin head coach Betsy Harris said.
Along with starting the season 2-0 for the second straight year, the Mocs, who were tabbed to finish seventh in the Preseason SSC Coaches' Poll, also made some more history last weekend as they scored 90-plus points in both of its games at the SSC/SIAC Challenge. It marked the first time since the 2008-09 season that the Mocs had scored 90 or more points in back-to-back games. In 2008-09, FSC opened the season by posting a 97-55 win over Ave Marie and then earned a 93-64 victory over Alabama-Huntsville.
FSC hasn't had a stretch of scoring 90 or more points in more than two games since scoring 90-plus points in four consecutive games during the 1995-96 season. The 1995-96 squad, which finished with a 26-5 overall record and advanced to the semifinals of the South Regional Tournament, recorded a program best 13 games of scoring 90 or more points.
Leading the way offensively for the Mocs headed into Wednesday's SSC opener is junior forward Gianna Vastola (Sarasota, Fla.) and senior guard Sydni Payne (Conyers, Ga.).
Vastola is tied for first in the SSC in scoring as she is averaging 21.0 points per game and is shooting 65.4 percent from the field and 75 percent from the 3-point line, while Payne, who was named this week's initial SSC Offensive Player of the Week, is averaging 19.5 points per and 6.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 65 percent from the floor, 50 percent from the 3-point line and is 10-for-11 (90.0 percent) at the free throw line. Payne recorded her first career double-double in her last outing as she scored a career high 24 points and pulled down a career high 10 boards in the Mocs 14-point win this past Saturday against Clark Atlanta.
In addition to Vastola and Payne, two other Mocs are averaging in double figures on the season as senior guard Shaquita Snow (Racine, Wis.) is averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game and is shooting 64.3 percent from the field and is coming off a career high 17 point game last time out against Clark Atlanta, while freshman guard Samantha Famulare (Freehold, N.J.) is averaging 11.0 points per game as she tallied 11 points off the bench in the season opening win over Paine.
The Mocs come into play on Wednesday with one of the top offenses in all of Division II women's basketball as Florida Southern is sixth nationally in scoring as they are averaging 94.5 points per game and are also fourth in Division II in 3-point field goal shooting (51.6 percent) and they lead the SSC in field goal percentage (55.9 percent) and 3-point field goals made (8.0 per game). Additionally, the Mocs are ranked in the Top 15 nationally in both assists (21.0 per game) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8). On defense, the Mocs are allowing 70.5 points per game and limiting their foes to 43.7 percent field goal shooting and 34.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line. FSC is also outrebounding its opponents by a +9.5 margin.
FSC is looking for continued improvement this season in the SSC as they concluded Harris' first season as the Moccasin coach in 2014-15 with a 7-9 mark in the SSC. The seven league wins were one more than the program had won the previous two years combined.
"We took a step forward last season and won seven conference games and I hope this season we can improve upon that," said Harris, who is 15-14 in her second season as the Mocs coach. "We surprised a lot of people last season."
Meanwhile, the Mocs opponent on Wednesday, Barry, comes into its league opener sporting a 1-1 record after splitting its two games at last weekend's NSU Shark Tip-off Classic hosted by Nova Southeastern. At the event, Barry opened the season with a 75-50 loss to Lee (Tenn.), before bouncing back to claim a 75-67 victory over North Alabama.
In the Preseason SSC Coaches' Poll, Barry was tabbed to finish fifth as they earned a first place vote from one league coach. The Buccaneers come into this season on a high after posting a 15-16 record a year ago and advancing to the championship game of the SSC Tournament.
"Barry, like every team in this conference, is really good. You always have to come ready to play and can't take any nights off once league play begins," the Mocs coach added.
Barry, who is coached by Bill Sullivan, welcomes back three primary starters and eight players that saw action last season. Sullivan is in his ninth season with the Bucs in 2015-16 and has compiled a 145-113 record at Barry.
Leading the way for the Barry offensively is senior guard/forward Amra Elezovic. On the season, Elezovic is averaging 21.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field and is 10-for-11 from the free throw line. In Barry's win over North Alabama, Elezovic, who averaged 9.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season and was named the SSC All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.7 points and 8.3 boards per game at the SSC Tournament, scored a season high 25 points and added 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the year.
In addition to Elezovic, two other Bucs are also averaging in double figures as senior guard Jackie Perez is averaging 10.5 points and 3.0 assists per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line, while senior forward Irene Sanchez is averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field.
As a team, Barry is averaging 62.5 points per game and is shooting 36.4 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line and is getting outrebounded by a -6.0 margin. On defense, the Bucs are allowing 71.0 points per game and their first two opponents this season are shooting 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from the 3-point line.
One of the biggest strengths of the Bucs, though, is their ability to force turnovers as they have forced 42 turnovers in two games and have a +10.5 turnover margin on the season. In the opener against Lee, Barry forced the Flames into 19 turnovers and then forced North Alabama in 23 turnovers. Barry has had just 21 turnovers in two games this season.
Wednesday's game will mark the 35th SSC opener for Florida Southern and the Mocs are 22-12 all-time in conference openers, including a 25-9 mark in home SSC openers. It will be the second consecutive time and fifth time overall that FSC has opened SSC play against Barry. Last season, the Mocs opened SSC play with a 70-67 home win over the Bucs. FSC leads the all-time series with Barry, 43-16, including being 24-4 at home all-time against Barry.
Following Wednesday's game, the Mocs will hit the road for the first time in 2015-16 as they travel to Boca Raton for a 2 p.m. SSC contest against Lynn. Saturday's game with Lynn will start a stretch of five consecutive games away from Lakeland for the Mocs.
