LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College women's basketball team rolled past Florida Tech, 56-39 inside the Streamline Sale Arena at George W. Jenkins Field House behind Whitney Jacob's fifth double-double of the season.
Jacob posted 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, which is a new season-high and most in her FSC career, to help elevate the Mocs above the Panthers for their second consecutive win. Florida Southern is now 8-4 in Sunshine State Conference play and 10-8 overall. The win moves the Mocs into a three-way tie with Barry and Saint Leo in the league standings where the trio trail Tampa, as the top-overall team in the standings, at 9-2, and Eckerd, currently second, at 9-3.
Florida Southern used an explosive 19-2 second quarter to lead by as many as 19 points which proved to be enough for the Moccasins. Florida Tech used a 20-12 third quarter to rally, but was not enough to make up the difference the Mocs secured in the first half. Florida Southern forced Florida Tech to cause 22 turnovers on the night while the Mocs snagged 11 steals and the defense held the visiting Panthers to just 39 points, the second-lowest point total falling behind Embry-Riddle's 44 points in a game earlier this season.
"I am really proud of our defensive effort," said head coach Betsy Harris, "we held them to 39 points. "We have a lot of revenge this year to make up for… as long as we play defense like we did tonight, we'll be fine. We are entering our second round of conference play. Now, they're a little bit hungrier, so in the second half of play they looked like they wanted it more."
How It Happened
1st Quarter
- Jacob opened the scoring for the Mocs with a back down in the post for an easy two.
- Jacob would score again after driving to the basket and getting an uncontested lay-in, 6-4 Florida Tech.
- Julia Jenike hit a deep jumper to tie the game up, 6-6.
- Ashley Shell forced a turnover leading to a Sara Wohlgemuth steal. Marissa Jenike finished on the other end off a pass from Jacob for the Mocs 8-6 lead.
- The first quarter, defined by a strong defensive effort from both teams, ended with the Mocs leading by two, 8-6.
2nd Quarter
- After Florida Southern opened the second quarter with three jumpers, Mackenzie Steele drilled a deep three to extend Moc's lead to nine points, 17-9.
- Madlena Gerke swiped the Panthers pocket and finished on the other end to give FSC the double-digit lead.
- Shell, Steele, and Wohlgemuth would all score and extend the Mocs' lead to 19 points as the first half of action closed with FSC ahead, 27-8.
3rd Quarter
- The Mocs battled to keep it at a 19-point advantage, as Gerke drain two free throws for the 29-10 lead.
- Florida Tech chipped away at the lead and would cut it to an 11-point deficit as Florida Southern headed into the final quarter leading 39-28.
4th Quarter
- After Florida Tech cut the FSC lead to nine, 41-32, J. Jenike knocked down another three to extend it back to 12.
- Jumpers from Jenike and Wohlegmuth would move the Mocs to up by 15, 48-33, with 5:06 to play.
- Florida Southern ended the night going 6-for-6 from the free throw line to cruise to the 56-39 win.
Inside the Numbers
- Jacob posted 18 points and 15 rebounds to nab her fifth double-double of the season. The 15 rebounds were a season-high, and she now has 35 career double-doubles, which ranks in the top-15 in all of Division II, among active players.
- Jacob recorded four of her team's 11 steals, setting a new single-game high.
- Steele played all 40 minutes, contributing 10 points, making this her fourth consecutive game in double-digits.
- Florida Southern held Florida Tech to just 39 points, the lowest total points allowed in a game since Jan. 25, 2020.
- The Mocs outrebounded the Panthers by eight, and are now 7-0 on the season when grabbing more boards than their opponent.
- After forcing 22 turnovers and committing just 14 of their own, Florida Southern now owns the top spot in the conference in turnover margin at 3.67.
UP NEXT
FSC will travel to West Palm Beach this Saturday, Jan. 29, to face off against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish. Tip-off is set for 2:00 pm.
