MIAMI SHORES, Fla.- The Florida Southern College women's basketball team dropped a hard game on the road as they fell in Sunshine State Conference action 102-75 to Barry University on Saturday afternoon at the Health and Sports Center.
The Moccasins (10-13, 5-11 SSC) were led by
Catalina Ion, tying her career-high of 20 points, followed by
Sydney Gomes and
Anna Denes with 13 points, and
Lily Pereira with 11 to close out the double-digit scorers.
The Bucs (16-8, 9-7 SSC) also had four finish with double figures as Audrey Jennings led with 23 points, followed by Emma Wallhoff (18 points), Kaliyah Morales (17 points), and Kyrstin Green (12 points).
Ion opened the action for FSC, putting the Mocs up 3-0 with a shot beyond the arc with an assist from Gomes. Barry tied the game in the next possession and took the lead with both 3-pointers from Wallhoff to make it a 6-3 game just a minute into the game.
Florida Southern and Barry exchanged points and possessions as the Mocs came within one point three separate times from a Pereira layup, Ion jumper, and Gomes 3-pointer but could not break the lead. Finally, at the 5:47 mark, Denes hit a layup, giving FSC back a one-point lead, 12-11.
The Bucs answered back with a layup on their own, starting a run going on a 9-0 run with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter.
Arriyana Bracero broke the run for Barry, but they continued to make runs, finishing the quarter with a 28-19 lead.
The second quarter opened with a Bucs layup to give them a double-digit lead. Florida Southern was able to cut the lead down to seven as Gomes and
Bre'Asia Washington made a free throw, and Denes scored on a layup to make it 30-23 with two minutes off the clock in the second quarter. Barry answered back with a 3-pointer to push the lead back out to double figures as the Bucs 6-4.
The Mocs were down by nine with just under six in the second quarter, but the Bucs' 17-0 run put the first half out of reach with a 53-27 score and 2:16 left in the quarter. Gomes found Pereira to stop the run, but a 4-2 run from the Bucs finished the second quarter, and FSC went into the halftime break down 57-31.
Florida Southern opened the third quarter with a 7-2 run to cut the margin down to 21 as Gomes, Pereira, and Ion all contributed. The Mocs and Bucs continued to exchange baskets as
Lily Randgaard got the lead down to 20, but Barry let up heading into the final quarter with a 76-54 lead.
Ion opened the final quarter with her third 3-pointer, but Barry did the same to get back out to a 22-point lead. Gomes sank two more 3-pointers in the quarter to try and give FSC a fighting chance but her final three only got the Mocs within 17 as Barry went on another run, finishing the game on a 14-5 run to defeat the Mocs 102-75.
Florida Southern returns to Jenkins Field House on Feb. 19 as they host Nova Southeastern in a Sunshine State Conference matchup. The tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
