BOX SCORE

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team (10-8, 3-6 SSC) was even with the No. 19 Rollins Tars (18-3, 6-3 SSC) with 2.0 seconds left, but a late free throw pushed the win in favor of the Tars as the Sharks fell Saturday afternoon in the NSU Arena at the Don Taft University Center.

Down by six with 1:24 remaining, senior Jada Buckner (Loudon, Tenn.) laid in a shot with 1:00 minute remaining in regulation to trim the lead to four. At 79-77, senior Abbie Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio) drove past the defense and was fouled on the way up, but made the basket to even the game up at 79. Unable to convert the three-point play and take the lead, the Sharks looked to stop the Tars and send the game into overtime, but a controversial foul allowed Rollins to step up to the free-throw line.

Paris Moore missed her first free-throw still giving hope for the Sharks. As Moore drained the second free-throw, freshman Jessica Russi (Lake Mary, Fla.) threw up a half court shot that just missed and hit the rim as NSU dropped its fifth straight conference game.

Tepe dished a career-high 11 assists, while also tying the NSU individual assist record with Marvelous Washington set back in 2004 against Saint Leo. She also added 18 points and six rebounds for the Sharks.

Senior center Stephanie Sarosi (Mims, Fla.) finished with a game-high 25 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Freshman Richelle Carach (Naples, Fla.) came off the bench tying a team-high nine rebounds in just nine minutes of play.

Sophomore Sabrina Stambouli (Quebec, Canada) also set a new career-high in points as she was 4-for-8, tallying 11.

Three Rollins players, starters Kournie Berry, Julie Gorman and Moore added 15 points with Moore and Gorman pulling down 10 rebounds apiece.

Heading into the half, the Sharks were deadlocked with the Tars, 35-35, for only the second time this season. NSU shot slightly better than the Tars, as the Sharks were 15-for-38 (40 percent) and Rollins was 11-for-29 (38 percent) in the half.

Despite Nova Southeastern dominating most of the first half, the second half was a back-and-forth battle between both teams.

In the final 20 minutes, the score was tied six times and there were seven lead changes.

Jumping out of the gate, Rollins took a six point lead, 44-38, as Gorman hit a jumper at the 17:42 mark.

Buckner and Sarosi connected on back-to-back baskets as the Sharks retook the lead for the first time in the half, 55-54, with 12:54 remaining.

NSU extended that lead as Rollins bench was called for a technical for having too many players on the court. Tepe hit both from the charity stripe as the Sharks went up by three. Berry threw a ball in the stands, giving NSU an opportunity to be up by multiple baskets. As Buckner would assist on Sarosi’s jumper, the Sharks were up by five, 59-54.

Rollins fought back and took a two point lead with a little over 10:00 minutes left in the game and the Tars looked to have the game in the bag as they would get possession with a five point lead and 3:29 left.

The Tars outrebounded the Sharks in the second half, 35-17, and would get eight offensive rebounds from the 3:12 mark till the 1:40 mark, wasting precious time off the clock with an already five point lead.

NSU strived for the comeback in the final minute but the free-throw by Moore with: 02 seconds sealed the deal for Rollins.

The Sharks will take a break from SSC play and host the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Wednesday, Feb. 2 with a 5:30 tip.