FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Dec. 5, 2009) - Nova Southeastern University's women's basketball team could not fend off Saint Leo's second-half rally and fell to the Lions in overtime 69-66 on Saturday afternoon at The Arena at the Don Taft University. It was the Sunshine State Conference opening game for both teams as NSU falls to 4-3 overall and 0-1 in the SSC, while Saint Leo improves to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference.
NSU stayed ahead of the Lions throughout most of the first half. After a 4-4 tie early on, the Sharks went up by five on a Rheisa Burke (Fr., Port Charlotte, Fla.) layup at 13:10. NSU got up to its first of three seven-point leads in the half as a layup by Erin Zampell (So., Naples., Fla.) gave NSU a 13-6 advantage with 10:49 to go.
Saint Leo cut the Sharks' lead to three just a minute later, but NSU responded with a Burke jumper and a Meloney Fosburgh (So., Phoenix, Ariz.) layup to go up 17-10 with 7:48 remaining in the half. But, once again, the Lions trimmed NSU's lead down to three, using a jumper from Sierra Williams to make it 17-14 in favor of NSU at 5:44.
The Sharks gradually built its third seven-point lead late in the half, going up 24-17 on a Burke jumper at 1:22. Saint Leo brought it back to a three-point game with 20 seconds left in the half as Gekeela Clemmons hit a jumper. However, Abbie Tepe (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio) maneuvered through the Lion defense and made a layup with two seconds remaining, giving NSU a 26-21 lead heading into halftime.
NSU came out strong to start the second half. An 11-3 run gave the Sharks a 14-point, 37-23 lead with LaShawnna Edwards hitting a jumper at 16:42. Saint Leo cut the Sharks' lead down to 10 before Abbie Tepe drilled a three-pointer at 14:39 to make it 40-27.
However, Saint Leo fought back with a 14-0 run over the next five minutes, taking a 41-40 lead off a Williams jumper at 9:40. The two teams battled for control of the game for the next eight minutes with neither team gaining more than a two point led.
Trailing by two, a Tepe trey at 2:29 allowed NSU to go up 53-52. A minute later, Fosburgh added to the Sharks' lead with a jumper to push NSU ahead by three. Saint Leo cut the Sharks' lead to one only to have NSU go up by three again, this time on a layup from Lindsey Newpher (Sr., Depew, Okla.) with 45 seconds to go. A jumper from Willonda Windham at nine seconds pulled the Lions to within one. Being fouled with six seconds left, Newpher made a free throw to give NSU a two-point edge, but Brittany Carannante had a game-tying layup that sent the game into overtime.
In overtime, Saint Leo got control of the tip and a Clemmons jumper at 4:51 gave the Lions a two-point lead. NSU ultimately forced three ties, including using a Stevie Kamp (So., Mesa, Ariz.) layup at 2:15 to make it 64-64. However, Saint Leo scored straight baskets on a Dominique Daniels layup and a Lauren Lee jumper to go up 68-64 with 1:21 left. NSU pulled to within two with a layup from Tepe at 1:11, but a made Daniels foul shot with 15 seconds provided the Lions with a three-point 69-66 advantage.
NSU was 28-for-68 from the floor, shooting 41.2 percent. Saint Leo, who shot 65.4 percent in the second half and 71.4 percent in overtime, was 30-for-54 and shot 55.6 percent. The Sharks dominated the boards, outrebounding Saint Leo 50-30.
Kamp led the Sharks with a career-high 16 points and 13 rebounds. Of Kamp's 13 rebounds, 11 were offensive, setting NSU's single-game offensive rebound record. Tepe added in 13 points, while Fosburgh chipped in with 11. Burke had a career-high 10 points.
Clemmons scored a game-high 17 points, while Daniels tallied 15 points. Windham and Williams had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Daniels and Lee each recorded a team-high six rebounds.
NSU returns to action next Saturday when the Sharks travel to Columbia, S.C., to face Benedict. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
