LAKELAND – Facing a much taller team, head coach Betsy Harris countered height with muscle, giving Mariah Harris lots of playing time inside. The senior forward answered the call with 14 points and six rebounds, playing 39 of the game's 40 minutes, as Florida Southern defeated Lake Superior State, 69-64, on the final day of the FSC/Terrace Hotel Classic played here Friday in the George W. Jenkins Field House.

Harris went up against the Laker's duo of 6-foot-2 post players, Tamara Novic and Rachel Novotny. 

"Mariah (Harris) played tough tonight," said Coach Harris. "I have to give her some credit. She took of lot of elbows tonight that weren't called. We couldn't really play too many post players in Mariah's spot, but Mariah is our muscle and she handled it quite well." 

Florida Southern (10-1) opened the game strong, building a 19-12 lead into the closing minutes of the first period with eight different Moccasins getting on the board. 

The Lakers (2-8) played a much tougher second period, rallying back to go ahead by six, 37-31, on a Novic jumper with 1:06 left in the half.

"I thought in the first half Lake Superior State just wanted it more than we did," said Coach Harris, "We've got to learn to want it more than other people."

The Laker drive continued in the third period and led 44-40 on a Novic layup halfway thru the quarter.

Gianna Vastola then took matters into her own hands, scoring on back-to-back layups to tie the game at 44-44. Following a Lakers basket, Vastola hit on back to back jumpers for a 51-46 Moccasin lead with 1:29 remaining in the third period.

Florida Southern kept the pressure on in the final period, holding Lake Superior State at bay, as the Moccasins would surge ahead followed by a Laker rally. However, Florida Southern would be overcome.

The Lakers kept it interesting to the end as Mackenzie Edwards nailed a three-pointer with 50 seconds left to cut Moccasin lead to two 66-64. Shaquita Snow made a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left and then blocked a three-point attempt by Megan Manninen with seven seconds to go that would have given Lake Superior State the lead.

Sydni Payne made one-of-two free throws with four ticks left for the final 69-64 margin.

Vastola finished with 12 points,making 6-of-8 free throws while Jensen Blassage contibuted 10 points and six assists. Both players pulled down six boards for the Moccasins.

Lake Superior State outshot Florida Southern 50 to 42 percent and made seven three-pointers compared to three by the Moccasins, but FSC went to the free throw 31 times, making 22 shots, while LSSU was 9-of-14 from the line. Florida Southern also won the battle of the boards, 34-27.

Novic led the Lakers with a game-high 20 points while Edwards added 18 points. April LaCross was the only other Laker in double figures, adding 15 points. Both Novic and Lacross had five rebounds.

"The girls just fought to the end," said Coach Harris, "We've got to have a fighting attitude at all times and get people to respect us. I tell them, you've got to go out and beat teams. You can't just win them by just two or three points, you've got to show them who the better team is."

Coach Harris will get a chance to see if her team is taking her words to heart as the Moccasins will close out the 2015 portion of their schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 2pm in a non-conference match-up with Flagler College.