Box Score DAYTONA BEACH – Mariah Harris scored a season-high 24 points to pace four Moccasins in double figures while Anja Fuchs-Robetin and Jensen Blassage each pulled down 12 rebounds to power Florida Southern to a 87-71 road win at Embry-Riddle Wednesday in non-conference action. Fuchs-Robetin, Blassage and Camille Giardina each netted 11 points for Florida Southern.
The win is the fifth in a row for the Moccasins, who are ranked 21st in the D2SIDA National Media Poll, and improves their record to 13-1.
Harris scored 12 points in each half, finishing one point shy of her career-high of 25 points set against Florida Tech on Jan. 14, 2014. While connecting on 7-of-11 field goals, Harris was near perfect at the free line, making 10-of-11 as the Mocs made 30-of-34 free throws as team. In the last two games, Florida Southern is 55-of-62 from the charity stripe.
"I'm glad too," said Head Coach Betsy Harris commenting on her team's recent free throw success, "because it's keeping us in the game."
Another thing keeping the Moccasin in the game is their rebounding. Both Fuchs-Robetin and Blassage set new career-highs with their 12 rebounds as Florida Southern enjoyed a 42-34 advantage on the boards.
Fuchs-Robetin, whose previous career high for rebounding was seven vs. Clark Atlanta on Nov. 13, 2015, pulled down nine of her boards in playing all 20 minutes of the second half. She was also 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
"We needed her to get more aggressive and to get more experience, so that's why we decided to keep her in there (the entire half)," said Coach Harris. "Anja could be a special player. She has to quit holding back and be more agressive."
Blassage grabbed eight of her rebounds in the second half, including three offensive boards.
"Every coach wants a Jensen on her team. She's going to do a little of everything," said Coach Harris. "She wants to win and she's focused. That's what happens when you're aggressive."
Florida Southern opened the game with a 7-0 run, eventually pushing the lead to 10 points, and took a 23-13 lead at the end of first period with six different Moccasins scoring. The second period started off the same way, with the Moccasins outscoring the Eagles, 10-2, in the first 2:06 for a 33-15 lead. Embry-Riddle (3-9), clawed back with a 14-2 run to cut the Moccasin lead to six points, 35-29, with just under three minutes left in the half.
Embry-Riddle stayed close in the early part of the second half, pulling within 6 to 10 points, before Florida Southern closed out the period on a a 13-4 run behind seven points by Blassage to grab a 62-43 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Eagles then outscored the Moccasins 28-25 in the final period.
"I'm glad we won, but I'm not happy, they're not happy. They know they didn't play well," said Coach Harris. "We've got to do better in holding our leads. We can't let teams get back into game. When you give a team hope, you give them energy."
Embry-Riddle, which is in its first-year of a two-year provisional membership in the the Sunshine State Conference, was led by Sabrina Whiting's game-high 25 points while Kalah Martin and Mercedes Jorge added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Florida Southern shot 42 percent from the field, but 88 but the free throw line while Embry-Riddle also shot 42 percent and made 12-of-18 free throw.
The Mocs will return home this Saturday, Jan. 9 as they host Eckerd in a 5:30 p.m. game at Jenkins Field House.
