MOCCASIN GAME NOTES
LAKELAND – The new year is here, but for Coach Betsy Harris, she hopes nothing changes from 2015. Harris' Moccasins return to Sunshine State Conference play Saturday night at 5:30 at home against Tampa.
Florida Southern, ranked 22nd in the D2SIDA national media poll, will bring an 11-1 record into the game, marking the most wins entering January by any team in the program's history. The Moccasins also bring a three-game win streak and a 3-1 mark in the league to face a Tampa team that is still looking for its first league victory. The Spartans are 6-6 overall and 3-3 in the SSC, but have won two in a row, including a 72-61 upset of fourth-ranked Drury on Dec. 19 in a game played in Melbourne.
The Moccasins are coming off a 73-47 win over Flagler on Wednesday. In that game, the Moccasin defense posted season-lows for points allowed (47); field goal defense (26.8), and 3-point field goal defense (25.0), while forcing the Saints into 23 turnovers.
On the offensive side, senior Sydni Payne tied for the team-lead with 15 points while and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in posting her second second double-double of the season. Fellow senior Mariah Harris (15) and sophomore Jensen Blassage (13) were also in double figures.
That balance is what has helped Florida Southern to its near-perfect record. Six different Moccasins have led the team in scoring during the 12 games so far. Blassage leads the team with a 12.6 points per game scoring average while Harris is close behind at 12.3 points and Payne at 11.8. Sophomore Gianna Vastola is pumping in 9.2 points per contest while freshman Camille Giardina and senior Shaquita Snow are adding 8.6 and 8.4 points per game, respectively.
In the SSC, Florida Southern leads the league in total steals (105) and steals per game (9.5) and is ranked second in scoring average (75.3), assists (15.5 per game), field goal percentage (46.2), 3-point field goal percentage (37.6), and forced turnovers (17.5 per game).
Individually, Blassage is second in the league with an 86.8 free throw percentage and third with 5.1 assists per game. Payne ranks third with 23 total steals and 2.1 steals per game.
Tampa, which has not played since beating Fort Valley State, 70-44, on Dec. 20, is led by Julianna Cavallaro who is netting 13.8 points per game while grabbing 5.3 boards per contest. Elena de Alfredo is the only other Spartan in double figures with 12.9 points per outing. As a team, Tampa is scoring at a 62.4 per game clip while allowing 58.2 points per game. The Spartans are shooting 44.5 from the field as a team while holding opponents to a 35.3 mark.
Saturday's game will the the 91st meeting between these two schools with Florida Southern enjoying a 56-34 margin in the series, including a 27-14 record at Jenkins Field House. The Moccasins won the last meeting, defeating the Spartans, 79-54, on Feb. 25, snapping a five-game win streak by Tampa in the series.
Coach Harris is 24-15 in her two seasons with the Moccasins and is closing in on 100 career wins, boasting a 92-42 record in five collegiate seasons. The Spartans are led by Tom Jessee, who has a 272-126 record in his 14 seasons at Tampa and a 442-215 career mark in 23 years at the college level.
Following Saturday's game, the Mocs will take to the road to play at Embry-Riddle on Jan. 6.
Florida Southern is 6-1 on its home court while Tampa is 1-4 on its opponent's home court, but 3-o in neutral site games.
