Box Score LAKELAND - Jensen Blessage netted 13 points and dished out five assists to lead a trio of players in double figures as Florida Southern opened Sunshine State Conferenece play with a 71-55 win over Barry here Wednesday at Jenkins Field House.
In addition to Blessage, Shaquita Snow and Camille Giardina each scored 10 points while Sydni Payne, the reigning SSC Player of the Week, added nine points and four steals. Mariah Harris and Bailey Florin both contributed eight points for Florida Southern which remains undefeated throught three games.
Barry's Ines Kerin and Florida Southern's Snow started off the battle by trading baskets for a 5-5 tie two minutes into the opening period. The Moccasins then put together a 7-2 run and held off the Buccaneers for a 16-14 lead at the end of the period.
Florida Southern opened the second period with a 9-3 run to grab a 25-17 lead at the 7:02 mark. Neither team could find the basket until Barry's Amra Elezoic hit on a jumper with 2:25 remaining in the half. Danielle Thomas made one of two free throws while Harris scored on a layup at the buzzer as the Mocs outscored the Bucs 12-5 in the period to take a 28-19 lead at intermission.
Barry would pull within six points twice in the third period, the second coming at the 6:09 mark as Irene Sanchez scored to cut the Florida Southern lead to 32-26. The Mocs then pulled together an 8-2 run beehind scores by Giardina, Florin, and Blessage to take a double-digit lead, 40-28, with 4:21 remaining in the third period. Florin would score all of her eight points in this period as the Mocs outscored the Bucs, 21-17.
Giardina pumped in seven points and Blessage added six in the fourth period as the Moccasins maintained a double-digit lead for the entire quarter.
Florida Southern shot 47 percent from the floor, including 7-of-16 three-pointers, and converted on 10-of-13 free throws. The Moccasins shot 57 percent from the field in the second half.
Barry was led by Elezovic's 21 points while Jackie Perez added 14 points and four assists. The Buccaneers were held to 40 percent from the floor by the Moccsasins, making just eight of their 23 three-point attempts. Barry also made just seven trips to the free throw line, making three shots.
Florida Southern also protected the ball well, committing just seven turnovers in the contest.
The Moccasins will travel to Lynn on Saturday for a 2 p.m. SSC match-up.
