GAME NOTES

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s basketball team (8-4, 1-2 SSC) will host the reigning Sunshine State Conference champion in No. 22 Florida Southern Saturday afternoon. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center.
 
The Sharks are coming off a gritty comeback victory against Florida Tech Wednesday night. With NSU trailing 58-49 with 3:44 remaining to play, the Sharks’ defense clamped down and limited the Panthers to one point for the remainder of the game, while on the other end of the court NSU poured in 14. Meixandra Porter (Jr., Chantilly, Va.) provided the offense catalyst for the comeback, scoring eight points in the run, including the final six of the contest.
 
Porter and Danielle Robinson (Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led the Sharks with 13 points apiece against Florida Tech. Jada Buckner (Sr., Loudon, Tenn.) and Jasmine Wilkins (So., Miami, Fla.) each chipped in 12 points. Richelle Carach (So., Naples, Fla.) finished the game with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
The Mocs present a stiff test for the Sharks, as they lead the SSC in points per game (69.6) and scoring margin (+13.2). Florida Southern also leads the conference in field goal percentage (44.8 percent), while holding its opponents to a conference-low 34.1 percent shooting, showing that they are one of the more complete teams on both ends of the floor.
 
FSC’s Michaela Hawley is averaging 21.6 ppg this season, the highest total in the conference and sixth-best nationally. Hawley’s total is almost eight points per game better than Florida Tech’s Ashton McClairen (13.8). Megan Dzigas (10.7), Morgan Lamberg (10.5) and Taylor Maldonado (10.0) each also average at least 10 ppg for the Mocs.
 
Florida Southern has won the last four meetings against the Sharks. The Mocs cruised to an 86-56 win at home Jan. 26, 2011 and then followed with a 77-67 victory at the NSU Arena a month later. NSU last beat FSC in the first round of the 2009 SSC Tournament, topping the Mocs, 82-71.

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