Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Playing in front of a national audience via ESPN3, the Florida Southern College women's basketball team won at Nova Southeastern on Saturday, 71-62. With the win, the Mocs (16-9, 13-4 SSC) sweep the season series from the Sharks (11-12, 7-9 SSC), and ensure that the Mocs will finish no lower than third place in the Sunshine State Conference regular season standings.
Junior forward Julia Jenike led all scorers with 19 points, while sophomore forward Ashley Shell poured in 15 points, coming off the bench.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• 1st Quarter | Both teams came out energized, playing tough defense. NSU took an early 2-0 lead, before sophomore Mackenzie Steele stepped back and hit a three-pointer at the 6:36 mark. Minutes later with the score tied at five, both teams traded baskets, with sophomore guard Bekki Kalaydjiev making layups on consecutive possessions. The lead would bounce back and forth, until Shell hit a running layup with just four seconds remaining, as the Mocs took a 14-13 lead into the first quarter break.
• 2nd Quarter | With NSU leading, 18-17, the Mocs went on an 8-2 run, capped by a pair of free throws from Shell. Suddenly Southern was leading by five, 24-15, midway through the period. After a few NSU baskets, junior guard Marta Aranda knocked down a three to keep the lead at five, 27-22. From there, the host Sharks would go on a 10-1 run to end the period, and lead 32-28 at the half.
• 3rd Quarter | The Sharks scored the first four points of the third quarter from the free throw line, extending the lead to eight points. With 7:30 to go, senior guard Elsa Landberg made a jumper, followed by a traditional three-point play from Steele, and the Mocs found some rhythm. After a Shark basket, the Red and White continued to score at will. Shell made a layup. Steele made a pair of free throws, followed by another layup from Shell and with 5:09 to play, and the Mocs trailed by the slimmest of margins, 40-39. A 6-0 NSU run created a cushion, before Jenike drove the left side of the lane, made the layup and ensuing free throw, and the lead was back down to four. Kalaydjiev brought the margin down to two with a pair of free throws, and the Mocs were in striking position. Nova would score four more points before Steele drained a triple with 51 seconds left, to bring the score to 50-47 at the end of three.
• 4th Quarter | Southern continued to persevere, and finally broke through. Aranda hit her second three pointer of the game at 7:45 to give the Mocs the lead once again, at 54-52. After a NSU missed layup, Aranda hit another three, this time from right in front of the Mocs bench, and the lead was up to five, 57-52, prompting a Sharks timeout. Upon resumption of play, Jenike turned defense into offense, as she made a steal on the perimeter and got fouled hard trying to make a fast break layup. She converted both shots from the line, and the Mocs led 59-52. Next, senior forward Katerina Pazzaglia-Khomenko got into the act, hitting a layup in traffic. At 61-52, the nine point lead was the largest of the game for Southern. But Southern was not done, as Jenike made a layup with 3:04 to go, and the lead touched double figures, 63-52. In all, it was a 14-0 run over a six minute span. More importantly, the Mocs defense held the Sharks scoreless for more than seven minutes. NSU would try to mount a rally, but the Mocs were too much, winning 71-62.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Four Mocs reached double digits in scoring tonight, led by Jenike's 19 and Shell's 15. Kalaydjiev added 13, with Steele adding 11.
• For the game, Florida Southern shot 43.9% from the field. NSU shot 43.2.
• Shell scored 11 of her 15 points for the game in the first half, as she made all four shots she took from the field, and three of her four free throws. It is the 11th time this season she has scored in double figures. She tied her season and career highs in the process. Back on December 19, 2019, she scored 15 points against Lindenwood (Mo.).
• Free throws were vital for FSC down the stretch. For the game, the Mocs converted 16-of-18 attempts. Jenike was perfect, making all seven shots from the line. For contrast, NSU shot 20-of-29.
• Southern out-rebounded Nova Southeastern, 31-30. Jenike and Aranda each had seven in the winning effort.
• A true team effort, the Mocs recorded 18 assists on 25 baskets. Landberg led the team with five helpers, while Jenike had four.
• The Mocs forced 23 NSU turnovers on 14 steals, leading directly to 23 points. Kalaydjiev and Jenike led the way with four apiece.
• Tonight's win is the 199th in the illustrious career of head coach Betsy Harris. She has gone 131-48 in six seasons at Florida Southern, and was 68-27 in three seasons at Coastal Georgia, good for an overall record of 199-75. Harris' 131 wins at Florida Southern are third-best all-time among Moccasin head coaches, trailing only Norm Benn (250-97) and Diane Foli (170-93).
• Jenike poured in 19 points tonight, and has now recorded 874 points in her college career, including her freshman year at Florida Atlantic.
UP NEXT
Southern will return home on Wednesday, February 19, hosting Eckerd at 5:30 p.m., on Senior Day.
