BOX SCORE

ST. LEO Fla. – With the absence of interim head coach Ann Walker due to a family emergency, the Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team (12-8, 4-6 SSC) wanted to win one for their coach and they did just that. Playing their hearts out, the Sharks trampled the Saint Leo Lions (9-13, 1-10 SSC) handing them a 66-52 loss Saturday afternoon at the Maron Bowman Athletics Center.

Stephanie Sarosi (Mims, Fla.) scored in double-figures as she has in every game this season with 22 points, adding six blocks and nine rebounds. Sarosi is only the second Shark player to reach the 1,500 point mark in their career.

Freshman Jasmine Wilkins (Miami, Fla.) recorded the games only double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Abbie Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio) led all players with seven assist as she passed the 500 assist mark for her career.

The team shot 46.3 percent (25-for-54) in the game and held Saint Leo to 39 percent shooting on 20 baskets in 51 attempts.

NSU was also strong on the boards as they outrebounded the Lions, 42-25, in 40 minutes of action.

In the first half, NSU held Saint Leo to a 4:30 minute scoring drought from the 17:08 to 12:33 mark, and the Sharks took that and regained the lead.

Freshman Richelle Carach (Naples, Fla.) came off the bench and scored five straight points for the Sharks to put them up, 9-7.

Junior Jada Buckner (Loudon, Tenn.) turned things on as she scored on back-to-back baskets for NSU’s 21st and 23rd point. Buckner finished the game with 11 points.

The Sharks headed into the locker room with a 34-19 advantage. NSU shot 47 percent (14-for-30) in the first half as Buckner and Wilkins led both teams with nine points in the first 20 minutes of play.

NSU did a great job on the boards, dominating the Lions 25-13 in the first half. Wilkins led the Sharks with seven, four being offensive rebounds.

In the second half, NSU continued to be a step faster than the Lions not letting them back in the game, while also keeping a double-digit lead at all times.

Despite the Lions outscoring NSU, 33-32, Nova Southeastern walked away with the win.

Sarosi scored 18 points in the second half and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.

The Sharks will continue conference play as they head to Melbourne, Fla. on Feb. 9 to battle the SSC’s top-seed Florida Tech. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.