Mocs Rally From Behind to Remain Undefeated on the Season

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Florida Southern College women's basketball battled till the end against Belmont Abbey to remain undefeated on the season. The Moccasins (5-0, 0-0 SSC) defeated the Crusaders (4-2, 0-0 Conference Carolinas) 64-61 to close out the Rollins Thanksgiving Classic 2-0. 
 
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, FSC has opened the 2023-24 year undefeated. 
 
Florida Southern had three finish in double-digit scoring as Domenica Zamora led the way with 13 points, followed by Arriyana Bracero and Reagan White with 12 and 10 points from the bench. 
 
The first half saw nine lead changes with a total of five minutes of a tied score. Anna Denes, Arielle Dabu, and Sydney Gomes led the Mocs in the first quarter as Denes hit back-to-back jumpers, followed by a Dabu second chance three, and Gomes with two 3-pointers to end the quarter tied 13-13. 
 
Belmont Abbey opened the second quarter sinking a pair of free throws to give the Mocs a 15-13 deficit to work back from. White went to work for FSC scoring a pair of 3-pointers increasing the Mocs lead to one and two at the 8:01 mark, 19-17. That was the last time the Mocs saw the lead in the half, as the Crusaders went on a 15-5 run until the seven second mark of the half. Zamora drove the basket hitting a layup at the buzzer to make it just a four-point lead for Belmont Abbey coming out of the locker room at halftime, 31-27. 
 
The third quarter opened with the Crusaders increasing their lead to eight. Just under the eight-minute mark, Dabu scored on a layup to close back within six, 35-29. The Mocs continued to play catch up as Belmont Abbey got an 11-point lead with 1:31 left. Lily Pereira scored on a layup and an and one to make it 46-38, but the Crusaders ended the quarter up by 10, 48-38. 
 
Florida Southern continued to battle as White and Bracero gave the Mocs five, with a shot beyond the arc from White and a jumper from Bracero, for a 51-43 game. Zamora added to the Mocs momentum to bring FSC within five scoring a layup and the ensuing free throw with 7:25 on the clock. 
 
Bracero hit a free throw and a 3-pointer to close the gap to just three, 53-50, with 6:23 left in regulation. Bracero and Gomes each hit a free throw, to keep within three until Bracero sank the biggest 3-pointer to tie the game 55-all with 2:33 left in the game. On a fastbreak layup, Gomes scored two more to give FSC the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Belmont Abbey tied it once again, but Zamora shot from beyond the arc to give FSC the lead 60-57 with 1:40 on the clock. 
 
A layup from Belmont Abbey made it a one-point game, but Zamora hit another jumper to make it 62-59 Mocs. The Crusaders hit their last shot with 36 seconds remaining, and Zamora made two free throws, ultimately giving the Mocs a 64-61 advantage that carried them to the end. Florida Southern's win streak now improves to five and the Mocs are 4-0 in the tournament play. 
 
Florida Southern will return home to Jenkins Field House to open Sunshine State Conference action on Wednesday, November 29 against nationally ranked the University of Tampa. 
 
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