Moccasin Game Notes
ORANGEBURG, S.C. - Florida Southern opens a two-game road swing through the Palmetto State here Saturday afternoon as the Moccasins look to remain perfect on the season as they face Claflin University in a 2 p.m. South Region showdown at Tullis Arena on the Claflin University campus.
Following Saturday's game, the Mocs will travel to Aiken, S.C., for a 1:30 p.m. game on Sunday, Nov. 29 at USC Aiken in the Convocation Center on the USC Aiken campus.
The Moccasins come into this weekend's action sporting a 5-0 record after earning a 60-55 victory on Tuesday at Palm Beach Atlantic.
FSC's 5-0 start is just the fourth such start in school history and the first 5-0 start to a season since the 2011-12 squad coached by Jarrod Olson opened the year 6-0. The best start in school history is 16-0 set by the 1992-93 squad coached by FSC Hall of Fame coach Norm Benn.
The Mocs, who are in the midst of a five-game stretch of games away from Lakeland, comes into game leading the SSC in scoring as they are averaging 79.4 points per game and have scored 70 or more points in four of five outings, including scoring 90-plus points in its first two games to open the 2015-16 campaign. In addition, the Mocs are outscoring its foes by a league-best 17 points per game and are shooting 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line.
Leading the way for the Mocs through the first five games of the season is senior guard Sydni Payne (Conyers, Ga.). Payne, who earned this week's SSC Defensive Player of the Week and earned the SSC Offensive Player of the Week last week, leads the team and is tied for ninth in the SSC in scoring as she is averaging 13.8 points per game and is also averaging 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game and is shooting 53 percent from the field, 44 percent from the 3-point line and an SSC best 95.8 percent (23-for-24) from the free throw line. She has scored in double figures in three games, including a career high 24 points against Clark Atlanta. In that same game, Payne also recorded her first career double-double as she pulled down 10 rebounds.
In addition to Payne, four other Mocs are averaging in double figures for second year coach Betsy Harris. Junior forward Gianna Vastola (Sarasota, Fla.) is averaging 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from the 3-point line, while senior forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.) is averaging 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 58 percent from the field and went over the 700 career point plateau in Tuesday's win over the Sailfish as she tallied 14 points and enters this weekend's action having scored 708 points.
The next two double-digit scorers are sophomore guard Jensen Blassage (Cherry Valley, Ill.) and senior guard Shaquita Snow (Racine, Wis.). Blassage, who scored 14 points, including tallying 12 points in the second half to help the Mocs rally from a 13 point deficit, is averaging 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field and is 7-for-7 from the free throw line and Snow, who sat out the PBA game due to a foot injury suffered in last Saturday's win at Lynn, is averaging 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and is shooting 61 percent from the floor and 67 percent from downtown.
Meanwhile, FSC's opponent on Saturday, Claflin comes into the contest sporting a 3-2 overall record, but had its three game win streak snapped on Monday with a 67-61 loss at Fayetteville State. The Lady Panthers' other loss this season was a 59-51 home setback in its season opener to fellow SSC member, Florida Tech.
In the loss to Fayetteville State, three Lady Panthers scored in double figures in the loss as redshirt sophomore guard NaBresha Hughes and junior forward Joy Okeke each had 13 points, while senior guard Shaniece Brown added 12 points in the loss. In addition to her 13 points, Okeke also recorded her first double-double of the year as she had 12 rebounds and junior forward Jhontay Giles added 10 rebounds for the Lady Panthers, who are from the SIAC and were tabbed to finish third in the Preseason SIAC East Division Coaches' Poll.
On the season, Brown leads the team in both scoring and assists as she is averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 assists per game, while Hughes is averaging 9.8 points per game and Okeke is averaging 9.0 points and a team-best 9.3 boards per game.
Claflin, who finished 14-14 a season ago and were 6-11 in the SIAC East Division, is coached by D'eonta McChester, who is in his third season the Lady Panthers and has compiled a 31-30 overall record.
Saturday's meeting with Claflin will be just the second-ever in school history as the Mocs earned a 53-36 win in Lakeland on Dec. 18, 2005.
On Sunday, the Mocs will face a USC Aiken squad that comes into play sporting a 4-1 record on the season and have won four straight games since suffering a 67-63 loss in its season opener on Nov. 13 against Carson-Newman. The Pacers, though, haven't played a game since picking up a 52-49 home win on Monday over Johnson C. Smith.
In the win over Johnson C. Smith, three Pacers scored in double figures led by 16 points and seven rebounds from junior guard/forward Rachelle Aupont. In addition to Aupont, sophomore foward Emry Tsitouris had 15 points and 10 boards, while junior guard/forward Alexis Ware added 10 points in the win. The 52 points scored by the Pacers was a season low.
On the season, Tsitouris is leading the way offensively as she is averaging 12.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 53 percent from the field. Along with Tsitouris, Ware is the other Pacer averaging in double figures at 11.8 points per game and is shooting 43 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line.
USCA, who has won four straight games on its home floor dating to last season, is coached by Mike Brandt, who is in his 14th season with the Pacers and has compiled a 248-140 record. Last season, USCA was 18-12 and fell in the semfinals of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament to Columbus State. In the Preseason PBC Coaches' Poll, USC Aiken was tabbed to finish third.
Sunday's meeting with USC Aiken will be just the third all-time meeting between the two schools as the Mocs suffered a 72-51 loss to the Pacers in the most recent meeting in the 2012-13 season opener in Aiken on Nov. 10. The first-ever meeting between the two schools on the hardwood on Nov. 24, 1990 as Aiken claimed a 65-54 victory on its home court.
Following this weekend's two games in South Carolina, the Mocs will conclude its five game road swing on Wednesday, Dec. 2 with a 5:30 p.m. SSC game at Saint Leo.
