Box Score

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s basketball team (13-9, 5-7 SSC) dropped a heartbreaker Saturday, Feb. 12 at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center as they lost to the Eckerd Tritons (14-9, 7-6 SSC), 69-67.

The Sharks led by a point with 12 seconds left and played solid defense on the final possession of the game, but Eckerd’s Kati Rausberg drained a miracle buzzer-beater from three feet behind the arc to steal the win. It was the second time in the last five games in which the Sharks lost by two points or less.

Stephanie Sarosi (Sr., Mims, Fla.) led the Sharks and earned team-highs with 22 points and nine rebounds. Sarosi shot 10-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-2 from three-point range. Abbie Tepe (Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio) earned a game-high 10 assists along with 16 points and three steals. Tepe corralled three boards and passed former teammate Eliza Allen for third all-time in career rebounds at NSU.

The Sharks dominated the first half and led from start to finish. They started the game out on a 10-5 run and eventually led 26-12 with 8:15 left in the half. The Sharks established a 15 point lead with three minutes left in the half and entered the break leading, 42-27.

The Sharks created their halftime lead by shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) in the first period while the Tritons shot 31 percent (10-for-32). However, the Tritons stayed in the game by collecting eight first half offensive rebounds and forcing 10 NSU turnovers. Sarosi was perfect from the floor in the first half as she shot 8-for-8, good for 17 points.

NSU controlled the action at the start of the second half went up 52-35, their biggest lead of the game, with 12:25 left. Eckerd began to build momentum from there as they went on a 12-2 run, cutting the deficit to single digits. The Sharks calmed the storm and went back up by double digits with six minutes remaining.

Trailing, 59-49, the Tritons ended the game by outscoring the Sharks 20-8. They took their first lead of the game with 1:31 left on a three-pointer from Eckerd’s Krystal Charles. With 24 seconds on the clock and the Sharks down, 66-64, Tepe found Sarosi down low and NSU’s leading scorer drained a layup while absorbing a foul. Sarosi, who missed her only other free throw attempt, drained the free throw to put her team up before Rausberg stunned the home crowd. The Sharks are now 2-2 in games decided by two points or less.

Quinessa Johnson (Jr., West Chester, Ohio) filled up the box score by collecting nine points, eight rebounds, and two steals. Jasmine Wilkins (Fr., Miami, Fla.) tied Sarosi with a team-high nine rebounds along with eight points and three assists.

Jada Buckner (Jr., Louden, Tenn.) and Priscilla Perez (Sr., Miami, Fla.) each scored six points on a combined 4-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Sharks will hit the road for their next game as they travel to Miami Shores, Fla. to play Barry on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.