FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2010) - A nearly eight-minute scoring draught in the second half was costly to Nova Southeastern University women's basketball as the Sharks fell to No. 14 Tampa 62-36 on Wednesday evening at NSU Arena at the Don Taft University Center.
"It was a tale of two halves tonight," said head coach Marilyn Rule. "I thought we came out ready to play in the first half and executed our game plan well, but it looked like we didn't come out of the locker room in second half. A bright spot for us was the play of Erin Zampell, who made things happen and finished."
Throughout the beginning parts of the first half, NSU and Tampa battled for control as the lead flip-flopped between the two teams. However, the Spartans had a 6-0 run that gave them an 18-12 lead with 7:41 left. Erin Zampell (So. Naples, Fla.) scored back-to-back baskets to pull the Sharks to within two at 5:40 remaining in the opening half. Tampa regained its second six-point lead on a Gianna Messina three-pointer at 1:05 as the Spartans closed out the half with a 26-20 advantage.
In the second half, NSU made it a four-point game with a Stevie Kamp (So., Mesa, Ariz.) jumper at 18:19. However, Tampa began to distance itself, going on a 10-2 run to take a 12-point 36-24 lead with 13:43 to go. Zampell swished a three-pointer at 12:52 to pull NSU to within nine points, but the Sharks suffered close to an eight-minute scoring draught that allowed the Spartans to pull away.
The Sharks were 23.7 percent from the field, going 14-for-59. Tampa was 23-for-53 and shot 43.4 percent. The Spartans also had a 44-36 advantage in rebounds.
Zampell scored a team-high 13 points, while Abbie Tepe (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio) and Kamp each grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
Four Spartans scored in the double-digits. Messina had a game-high 16 points, while Tiara Cook tallied a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. Angela Guiu added in 14 points, while Taja Green chipped in with 10.
NSU returns to action on Saturday when the Sharks travel to Eckerd. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
