LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College women's basketball team closed out the annual Mocs Christmas Classic with a 90-85 win over Maryville University to close out 2024 in Jenkins Field house on Saturday afternoon.
The Moccasins (7-4, 2-2 SSC) had four finish in double-digit scoring with
Sydney Gomes throwing out her first double-double finishing with 25 points and 12 boards tying her career-high in both.
Lily Randgaard scored 20 points followed by
Arriyana Bracero with 18 and
Catalina Ion with 11. On the defensive end,
Anna Denes put up the numbers in the paint coming down with 11 rebounds.
The Saints (4-8, 2-2 GLVC) were led by Lindsey Schadewalt with 22 points off the bench and followed by Claire Rake and Madyson Rigdon with 15 and 14 points respectively.
Ion opened up action in the final game of 2024 with a jumper in the first 15 seconds after Denes won the tip. Maryville answered back with their own jumper, tying the game before taking a three-point lead. Florida Southern went on a 7-0 run with baskets from Randgaard,
Lily Pereira, and Bracero to take a 9-5 lead with just under five remaining in the first. The Saint and Mocs exchanged shots, tying the game at 13-all before FSC finished the quarter out with a five-point lead, 25-20.
The second quarter saw Maryville open up with an 11-6 run tying the game once again 31-all with five minutes left in the first half. Florida Southern felt the pressure and broke away with a 19-8 run that set the Mocs up with a double-figure lead heading into halftime, 50-39.
Both teams got out to a slow start after the break, not scoring until the 7:10 mark when the Saints would close in on the Mocs 11-point halftime lead. Maryville went on a 6-0 run and then another 7-0 run coming within five points with under four remaining. The Mocs rallied back but the Saints sank three consecutive shots beyond the arc tying the game once more at 61-all.
Maryville was able to take a small one-point lead but 3-pointers from Randgaard and Gomes quickly put Florida Southern back on top with a 67-62 lead and a minute left in the third quarter.
The Saint rallied to come back within one-point multiple times in the final quarter but the Mocs answered back finishing on an 8-2 run to take a 90-85 win and close out 2024 on a three-game win streak.
As a team, FSC shot an impressive 46.3% from the field going 31-67 as the second quarter was the highlight of the game shooting 61.11% going 11-18. From the line, The Mocs went 18-19 finishing with a 94.7%.
Florida Southern returns to action in 2025 jumping right into Sunshine State Conference action as they hit the road to Boca Raton where they will face Lynn University. The tip-off is scheduled for Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m.
