FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2009) - Nova Southeastern University's women's basketball team downed Lynn 65-57 during Homecoming on Wednesday evening in Sunshine State Conference action at the University Center. NSU now improves to 9-13 overall and 5-6 in the SSC, while Lynn falls to 14-8 on the season and 5-6 in conference play.

NSU had to contend with a solid Lynn offense through the first part of the opening half. With the score tied at 10, the Fighting Knights used a 9-2 run in order to take a seven-point, 19-12 advantage with 12:55 left in the half. Lynn went up by nine points as Crystal Ahmed hit a jumper at 8:41 to make it a 25-16 game.

However, the Sharks fought back, using a late surge. A three-pointer by Abbie Tepe (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) at 4:22 pulled NSU to within four and make it 30-26 in favor of Lynn. Eliza Allen made it a one-point game as she hit a jumper at 1:48. Meanwhile, Stephanie Sarosi (Jr., Mims, Fla.) hit the go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds to go in the half as the Sharks led 35-34, which would be the score at halftime.

Control of the game flip-flopped between NSU and Lynn during the beginning of the second half as the most either team led by was one point. It wasn't until the Sharks got five-straight points from Sarosi to take a 49-45 lead with 9:22 to go.

Lynn trimmed the Sharks' lead down to one on three different occasions, including using an Ahmed jumper at 4:04 to make it 53-52 in favor of NSU. However, NSU began to pull away in the final 3:41. The Sharks went up by five behind jumpers from Sarosi and LaShawnna Edwards (Jr., Miami, Fla.). NSU eventually took a nine-point lead - its largest of the game - as Allen sank a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to give the Sharks a 64-55 edge.

NSU narrowly outshot Lynn as the Sharks were 32.3 percent (20-for-62) and the Fighting Knights were 32.0 percent (24-for-75). The Fighting Knights held the edge in rebounding (55-45), while the Sharks had more steals (5-2) and blocks (8-2).

Sarosi scored a game-high 22 points and was one of four players with a game-high 10 rebounds. Tepe added 14 points, while Erin Zampell (Fr., Naples,Fla.) chipped in with 11. Meanwhile, Allen dished out eight assists and pulled down 10 boards.

Ahmed had a team-high 16 point for the Fighting Knights. Jade Williams added an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Madeleine Doyle also recorded 10 caroms.

NSU returns to action on Saturday when the Sharks travel to Rollins. Game time is set for 2 p.m