TAMPA, Fla. - Florida Southern College
Julia Jenike's late three sent the Sunshine State Conference title game into overtime, but it was not enough as FSC fell to Tampa 74-67.
The Mocs saw their 12-game win streak come to an end. FSC fell to 20-9 and finished the regular-season in conference play at 16-4.
"That was a hard loss to take after winning 12 straight," said head coach
Betsy Harris. "We felt like this was our time. Tampa played a good game, we just did not have some shots go our way. On to regionals."
Whitney Jacob and
Julia Jenike were both named to the 2022 SSC women's basketball tournament team for their performances during the tournament. Eckerd had one in Maya Price, followed by three from Tampa Melijah Sullivan, Kayla Bonilla, and LaShayla Wright-Ponder as the most valuable player.
Florida Southern won the tip off and Freshman of the Year,
Sara Wohlgemuth drained a three in the Mocs first possession to start the SSC Championship game off with a 3-0 lead. FSC continued to put the pressure on Tampa as the Mocs took an 11-7 lead before the media timeout at the 3:39 mark.
It was Florida Southern's ball after the media timeout and graduate student
Whitney Jacob sinks a shot beyond the arc to make it 14-7. Wohlgemuth hit a step back jumper giving the Mocs the lead at the end of the first quarter with the Spartans hitting both free throws off a foul making it 16-13 after the first.
Jacob put up six points in the second quarter, but it was not enough for the Mocs as they ended the first half down by eight with a score of 24-32.
The Mocs opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run to come within three points of Tampa after four minutes of play. The score stayed at 36-33 after 4:02 minutes of action as neither time could make anything fall.
First Team All-SSC Jenike hit a jumper off a Tampa turnover to bring the Mocs within one of the Spartans at the 3:17 mark in the third with a score of 38-37. The quarter ended with the Mocs down by two after Jacob hit a layup bringing the score to 43-41 with FSC outscoring Tampa in the third 17-11.
Jacob tied the game at the 9:33 mark in the fourth hitting both free throws to make it 43-all. The Mocs took the lead off a caused turnover and a Jenike layup for FSC's first lead since the first quarter. The quarter continued to go back and forth with Wohlgemuth and
Domenica Zamora draining back-to-back 3-pointers with 2:37 remaining in regulation
Tampa took a late lead off an FSC foul, but nothing was impossible for Jenike as she tied it up at 61-61 with :03 seconds remaining to send the championship game into overtime.
The Mocs gave overtime everything they had but Tampa outscored Florida Southern 13-6 to take home the title.
Jacob led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the year. Jenike was right behind with 23 points followed by Wohlegmuth with 12 points and four assists.
UP NEXT
Florida Southern awaits their next opponent heading into tonight's NCAA selection show set to take place at 10 p.m. The regional tournament will begin Friday, March 11.
