LAKELAND, Fla. - Florida Southern College women's basketball was led by sophomore
Arielle Dabu scoring 14 points to capture a 72-59 win over Florida Tech in Sunshine State Conference action on Saturday evening.
The Moccasins took a big lead on the Panthers in the first quarter and never relinquished it, as they improved to 11-7 overall and 7-4 in the SSC. Florida Tech falls in the loss to 3-12 on the year and 1-10 in the conference.
"Our first quarter we came out and did what we wanted to do," said head coach
Megan Dzikas '12 after the win. "We wanted to make them play some fast-style basketball. I think defensively we did pretty good and that gave us a jump start."
Despite a quiet fourth quarter, Dabu was influential for the Mocs throughout the entirety of the game. In addition to her 14 points, she made her defensive presence known and led three other Mocs to double-digit scoring. Senior
Domenica Zamora added 12 points, six assists, and five rebounds. While graduate student
Ashley Shell posted yet another double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. The final Moccasins in double-digit scoring was freshman
Sydney Gomes with 10 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Florida Southern started the game with a statement going up 22-9 in the first quarter, Dabu put up eight points in the quarter including a deep three in the final seconds of the quarter.
In the second quarter, the Mocs continued to dominate, opening the frame with a 9-2 run. The Panthers did manage to gain a bit of traction, but could not manage to make any real dent in the Moccasins' big lead that was built in the first quarter. Southern led 36-22 going into the locker room.
The second half got off to a bit of a slow start, but a knock-down three from Dabu with just under eight minutes left in the third got things moving for both teams. Florida Tech answered with a bucket of their own to which Zamora responded with a 3-pointer of her own, to make it a 48-33 deficit. The Panthers managed to chip away at the Mocs' lead, cutting down to an 11-point lead at the end of the frame.
Shell was determined to shift the momentum back in the favor of the Moccasins with a nice post move for a bucket in the beginning of the third. Once again, the Panthers found an answer, knocking down two shots of their own. Dabu came on the end and drained her fourth three of the game to make the score 57-45. Then trips to the free throw line from both Gomes and sophomore
Anna Denes extended that lead to 61-47. The Panthers tried to mount a comeback on the Moccasins in the final minutes with a few nice buckets but a pair of buckets from Denes and Zamora put any chance of that to bed.
UP NEXT
The Mocs hit the road to take on the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Wednesday, January 25. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
