Box Score WINTER PARK - Despite putting three players in double figures and scoring 75 points, Florida Southern concluded the 2014-15 regular season here Saturday afternoon with an 82-75 setback to 24th-ranked Rollins in Sunshine State Conference action at Warden Arena.
With the loss, the Moccasins finished the regular season with an overall record of 13-13 and posted a 7-9 mark in the SSC, which helped the Mocs secure the No. 6 seed in this coming week's SSC Tournament at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Complete 2015 SSC Tournament Bracket
The 13 regular season wins are six more than the Mocs won all of last season, while the seven SSC marked five more than the team won during the 2013-14 season. With its No. 6 seed, the Mocs will open the SSC Tournament on Thursday, March 5 with a 7:30 p.m. quarterfinal game against No. 3 seeded Eckerd (22-6 overall, 11-5 SSC).
"We played really good on offense today as we were able to put three players in double figures and score over 70 points, but we struggled defensively, especially in the second half as allowed Rollins to score 50 points after halftime and that is too many points to allow to a team," Moccasin head coach Betsy Harris said. "I'm proud of our team's effort today, we just came up a little short in the end."
It marked the 12th time this season that the Mocs had scored over 70 points in a game as FSC is now 10-2 on the year when scoring 70-plus points. Prior to Saturday's game with Rollins, the Mocs had won nine consecutive games this season when scoring 70 or more points in a game.
The Mocs were able to stay again the nationally-ranked Tars (21-5, 12-4 SSC) thanks to offensive play of freshman guard Jensen Blassage (Cherry Valley, Ill.) and senior guard Cashala Thompson (Tucson, Ariz.) as Blassage scored a career high 19 points and Thompson added 17 points on five 3-pointers to increase her career total of 120 made 3-pointers. Blassage and Thompson combined for 22 of FSC's 36 first half points as they held a 36-32 halftime lead.
"Jensen continues to get better every time she steps on the court and Cash really shot the ball well and hit some big shots for us, especially in the first half," said Harris, who is in her first season as the Mocs coach.
Rollins, who trailed by as much as 12 points in the first half, used a 10-2 run over a span of three-plus minutes in the second half to turn a 58-57 deficit into a 67-60 lead with 6:40 left in the game.
A 3-pointer by Thompson, a lay-up from junior forward Mariah Harris (Gainesville, Fla.) and two free throws from junior guard Syndi Payne (Conyers, Ga.) helped the Mocs push within 69-67 with 4:36 remaining in the game.
That would be as close as the Mocs, who closed the regular season winning two of its last three games, as the Tars answered with an 8-0 run capped by two Jen Ferrell free throws to take a 77-67 lead with 1:43 left.
FSC would score five straight points, including a triple from senior guard Syerra Davis (Tolleson, Ariz.) to drop Rollins' lead to 77-72 with 59 seconds left. Rollins would hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 52 seconds to hang on for the win and earn the No. 2 seed in the SSC Tournament.
In addition to Blassage and Thompson, Davis also scored in double figures as she finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists. Payne and junior guard Ali Sanders (Sleepy Hollow, Ill.) each added seven points in the loss.
After Rollins scored four of the game's first six points, the Mocs used a 20-11 run to take a 22-15 lead with a little over 10 minutes left in the opening half. The run was capped by back-to-back treys from Thompson, who is sixth on the school's career 3-point field goal made chart.
The Mocs lead would grow to as much as 12 points at 35-23 following a free throw from junior forward Kelli Schramm (Roseville, Minn.) with 3:37 left in the opening half. Rollins, though, would crawl back into the game as they closed the first half on a 9-1 run to drop FSC's lead to 36-32 at the half.
"That run at the half by Rollins seemed to give them some momentum heading into the second hald," Harris said. "We gave up too many points in the second half."
Rollins was paced offensively by an 18 point effort from Emmalee Schill, while Julia Ingler added 14 points off the bench as she was 4-for-8 from the 3-point line. Ingler had 11 of her 14 points in Rollins' 50 point second half.
Three other Tars finished in double figures as Jasmine Stone added 10 points, including seven in the second half, while Ashley Losch and Sarah Taylor each had 10 points in the victory.
For the game, FSC shot 40 percent from the field and 36 percent (8-for-22) from the 3-point line, while Rollins connected on 44 percent of its field goals and shot 36 percent (8-for-22) from the 3-point line.
The Tars held a 47-38 edge on the board, but the Mocs forced Rollins into 14 turnovers that led to 17 points. FSC committed 11 turnovers that led to 17 points for the Tars.
