FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Dec. 17, 2008) - Powered by three players with points in double figures, Nova Southeastern University's women's basketball team topped Dominican 78-60 in both team's first game of the Cruzin' Classic on Wednesday night at the University Center. Stephanie Sarosi (Jr. Mims, Fla.) scored a game-high 25 points, while Eliza Allen (Sr. Hegenheim, France) and Abbie Tepe (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) added 19 and 14, respectively.

Behind by 15-for-25 shooting, the Sharks hit 60 percent of their shots in the first half. NSU's offense started the game with a 6-0 run that included two layups from Sarosi and a pair of free throws by Lindsey Newpher (RS-Jr., Depew, Okla.). Dominican answered with a 5-0 run of its own to make it a one-point game at the 16:03 mark. However, Allen came off the bench and carried the Sharks on an 8-2 run that gave NSU a 14-7 advantage with 11:36 remaining in the first half.

The Chargers quickly trimmed NSU's lead down to two with a Shalissa Burgess jumper and a Meghan Murphy trey, but the Sharks' offense kept finding its spark. NSU eventually built its lead to 11 as Allen, who was 5-for-7 from beyond the arc for the game, sank a three to make it a 31-20 game at 6:52. The Sharks ultimately pushed their lead to 15 with a pair of Newpher free throws giving NSU the 37-22 edge.

Dominican pulled to within 12 on two occasions, but another set of Newpher free throws as well as a pair from Tepe put NSU up 43-27 with 37 seconds left in the half. The Sharks ultimately entered the break with a 43-29 lead.

The Sharks maintained a sizable lead throughout the entire second half as the closest Dominican could get was within seven. NSU took an early 15-point, 46-31 lead off a Newpher trey. The Chargers gradually cut into NSU's lead and used back-to-back jumpers from Kaity Lent to make it a seven-point, 50-43 NSU lead with 16:39 to go.

After the teams traded buckets, a layup by Tepe sparked an 8-0 run that allowed NSU to regain a 15-point advantage and make it a 60-45 game with 12:51 remaining.

Dominican ultimately made it a 10-point game on three different occasions, including using a Marly Klunk layup at 4:43 to make it 69-59 in favor of NSU. However, the Sharks closed out the game with a 9-1 run.

Overall for the game, NSU shot a season-best 51.9 percent from the field (27for-52), while Dominican was 33.3 percent (24-for-72). The Sharks held a 47-38 advantage over the Chargers in rebounds. NSU also totaled eight blocks.

To go along with her 25 points, Sarosi grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Erin Zampell (Fr., Naples, Fla.) recorded a game-high four blocks.

Lent led Dominican with 16 points, while Althea Chambers totaled a team-high seven caroms and a game-high five steals.

NSU wraps up play at the Cruzin' Classic on Friday when the Sharks face nationally-ranked No. 2 Washburn at 6 p.m. at the University Center.