Box Score BOX SCORE

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s basketball team held Fort Valley State to over 11 combined minutes of scoreless basketball to start each half, and won their opener in the Florida Tech CarMax Holiday Classic Saturday, 64-49.

The Sharks (7-3) scored the first 11 points of the game, keeping FVSU (30-4) off the scoreboard until the 13:34 mark in the opening period. At the half, they led the Lady Wildcats 33-14, and had held them to 18.5 percent shooting (5-of-27).

“The first half was the best defensive effort we’ve had all season,” said head coach LeAnn Freeland. “Our players were prepared and followed the game plan exceptionally well.”

To start the second half, it was under the 15-minute mark before FVSU would score. Prior to that basket, NSU held their largest lead of the game of 26 points at 40-14. The lead stayed above 20 until under two minutes remaining when the Lady Wildcats scored the final five points of the game.

“Fort Valley made adjustments at halftime, and our intensity lapsed as did our communication,” said Freeland. “Our defense was like Jekyll and Hyde, and in order to be a great team, we must commit to giving a full effort for the entire 40 minutes.”

Amanda Burakoski (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Sharks in scoring for the second straight game, scoring 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 on 3-pointers. Meixandra Porter (Sr., Chantilly, Va.) joined her in double digits with 13, also having a solid shooting night at 4-of-7. Danielle Robinson (So., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Tailor Jones (Sr., Altamonte Springs, Fla.), returning from injury after missing the last three games, added eight each. 

The Sharks outrebounded FVSU 44-25, with Robinson and Richelle Carach (Jr., Naples, Fla.) topping the squad with seven boards apiece. Robinson added a team-high four steals.

“I give a lot of credit to our team for their determination in winning the rebounding battle,” said Freeland. “We blocked out strong and controlled the lane. This was a big win for us, because Fort Valley is a marquee program. I have a great amount of respect for Coach Bartley and his team.”

The team doubled up FVSU in assists, 16-8, with the Sunshine State Conference leader, Jessica Russi (Jr., Lake Mary, Fla.) notching seven, just above her average of 6.2 coming into the game. But one statistical category that did not fall in the Sharks’ favor was turnovers (26, compared to forcing 21).

“Fort Valley did a great job bringing full-court pressure for all 40 minutes, and their aggressiveness did forces us to turn the ball over too much,” said Freeland. “When teams apply pressure in the future, we have to attack under control and make sharp passes.”

NSU did do more with the turnovers they forced, winning points off turnovers, 24-17, and converting them on the fast break nearly flawlessly, 16-0.

Play wraps up on the campus of Florida Tech on Sunday, when NSU matches up against Palm Beach Atlantic (3-8) at 2 p.m. The Sailfish were defeated by FIT in Saturday’s first game, 81-54.

“PBA has improved a lot since our game on Nov. 9 (a 97-57 Shark victory),” said Freeland. “They are a dangerous team because they play hard each possession.”

The Sharks vs. PBA can be followed via live audio HERE and live stats HERE.

Fans can follow the Sharks in both games in Melbourne via live audio HERE and live stats HERE.

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