FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (January 30, 2008) - The Nova Southeastern women's basketball team seized sole possession of first place in the Sunshine State Conference by virtue of a last-minute Tampa loss at Lynn while the Sharks (14-5, 7-1 SSC) defeated the Barry Buccaneers (13-6, 4-4) by a score of 61-40 on Wednesday night at NSU's University Center Arena. The win brings NSU one win away from tying a program record with eight consecutive wins. Stephanie Sarosi (So., Mims, Fla.) led the Sharks with 11 points and eight rebounds while LaShawnna Edwards (So., North Miami Beach, Fla.) backed that up with 10 points and six boards off the bench.

A layup by Princess Bailey, who finished with a game-high 14 points, gave the Bucs a 15-12 lead with 9:54 remaining in the first half. Afterwards, a made three by point guard Abbie Tepe (Fr., Cincinnati, Ohio) would spark the Sharks on a 15-2 run to close out the half, giving NSU a 27-17 lead from which they would never look back.

A Bailey jumper closed the gap to 32-25 with 16:03 left but Barry would get no closer as the Sharks pushed their lead to 21 with baskets from Amber Bishko (Sr., Orlando, Fla.), Ashley Wilson (Sr., Coral Springs, Fla.) and Christine Haber (Sr., Libertyville, Ill.), among others. From there, the Sharks would coast to the 19-point victory.

The game proved to be a total team effort for the Sharks as they shot 47.4 percent from the field and had eight players score at least five points and seven players score at least six. In addition, the NSU offense sported a sparkling 20:14 assist-to-turnover ratio as three players, led by Tepe (five), dropped at least four dimes. The Sharks were also stellar on the defensive end, holding Barry to 33.3 percent from the field, including 24.1 percent in the first half. NSU outrebounded the Bucs, 40-30 and its bench outscored Barry's bench, 24-10.

Bishko scored eight points, all of which came in the second half, to go along with four assists, while Tepe scored six points with five assists and five rebounds. Haber also grabbed seven rebounds in 14 minutes of action.

NSU will return to action on Saturday, February 2 as they travel to Lakeland, Fla. to take on the Florida Southern Moccasins at 5:30pm at Southern's Jenkins Fieldhouse.