FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Florida Southern women's basketball extended their win streak to seven games as they defeated Nova Southeastern 71-58 Saturday afternoon. The win improves Southern to 15-8 overall and 13-4 in the Sunshine State Conference.
The Sharks put up a fight, cutting FSC's lead to as little as two points in the third quarter. The high-powered offense and suffocating defense of Florida Southern proved to be too much for Nova Southeastern as the Mocs ran away with the game late in the second half.
"The girls grinded that win out today," stated head coach
Betsy Harris after the win. "With
us having this streak going we have to remember to keep our focus and stay hungry."
Whitney Jacob led the Mocs with a game-high 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished
out two assists.
Julia Jenike contributed 14 points and grabbed four rebounds despite getting into foul trouble.
Mackenzie Steele finished out the double-digit scoring with 13 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nova Southeastern was able to hang in with Southern despite a big first quarter from Steele, who drained two threes in the quarter. The Mocs had a slight, 15-14 lead at the end of the first.
The Sharks immediately reclaimed the lead at the beginning of the second quarter with a deep
two-pointer.
Domenica Zamora answered with a beautiful inbound pass that led to an easy lay-up for
Paula Real. The Mocs turned that momentum into a monster 12-1 run that gave them a nice 10 point cushion with only a few minutes left in the half. However, NSU clawed their way back into the game with a run of their own. The Mocs had a 31-25 lead as they entered the locker room at the half.
Nova Southeastern came out of the gates hot in the third quarter as they drained back-to-back
shots to cut the lead to two, 31-29. However, J. Jenike answered with a deep three to
re-extend the Moc's lead to five points and begin an 11-2 Moccasin run. The run was catalyzed
by Jenike, who was responsible for seven of the eleven points. Southern ended the quarter with a 46-36 lead.
The Sharks struck back in the fourth quarter and cut the lead down to eight.
Ashley Shell
answered by knocking down her defender in the paint and finishing at the rim to reclaim the
double-digit lead. On the next offensive possession, Steele two-stepped around a defender and got to the basket for a lay-up, making the score 50-39. NSU went on a 5-point run that was interrupted only by the graduate student Jacob. Jacob contributed a lay-up and then a three-point play after getting fouled and hitting the free throw, making it 55-44. Then,
Sara Wohlgemuth knocked down a contested lay-up to extend the lead to 13 with three and a half minutes left to play, which was enough to put a valiant come-back effort from the Sharks to bed with a 71-58 much-needed conference win.
UP NEXT
The Mocs seek to extend their win streak to eight games as they travel to Saint Leo on Wednesday, February 16. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
