LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After two heartbreaking last-second losses and a rare game night off, the Nova Southeastern women’s basketball team looks to regroup when they host Tampa at the NSU Arena in the Don Taft University Center on Saturday.
The Sharks (15-6, 7-4 SSC) were last at home on Feb. 6, and lost to Eckerd on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, 63-61. Then, on Feb.9, in Lakeland, Fla. against Florida Southern, they fell in overtime 73-70, after a heave from beyond midcourt forced the extra frame.
After the two losses, NSU dropped out of the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and fell into third place in the SSC standings (behind 8-3 Florida Tech and 8-4 Lynn). Wednesday marked only the second scheduled off-day for the Sharks since conference play began in full on Jan. 5, giving Coach Freeland and the squad seven days to prepare for the Spartans (14-7, 4-7 SSC).
Tampa was ranked as high as No. 10 in the country as they started out the season with 10 consecutive wins. They’ve dropped seven of their last 11 games, all in conference play. On Wednesday, they hosted Eckerd and were defeated 68-46.
Back on Jan. 19, Tampa was ranked 15th, and NSU prevailed on the Spartans' home floor, 68-61.
Meixandra Porter (Sr., Chantilly, Va.) led all scorers with 20 points, and
Danielle Robinson (So., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) chipped in with 14.
The Sharks and Spartans tip off at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Fans at home can tune in via live audio/video
HERE and for live stats
HERE. Follow the Sharks on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/NSUSharks.
SHARK STATS
• The Sharks still boast three of the conference’s six leading scorers. Porter is second (16.0 ppg), while Robinson is fifth (13.6 ppg) and
Amanda Burakoski (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) stands sixth (13.4 ppg).
• The team has three individual SSC leaders: Porter in steals (2.6) and 3-pointers made per game (2.4) and
Jessica Russi (Jr., Lake Mary, Fla.) in assists (4.9). Russi is 21st in the nation with that assist average.
• Burakoski is second in both 3-point percentage (43.0%) and field goal percentage (53.6%). The former ranks her eighth in all of Division II, while the latter is good enough for 20th.
• Burakoski and Robinson flip-flop their scoring positions in the steals category. Burakoski is fifth at 2.0 per game, while Robinson ties for sixth at 1.9.
•
Tailor Jones (Sr., Altamonte Springs, Fla.) is tied for second in the conference in assists (3.8) and is seventh in shooting from the field (47.7%).
• Porter is third in the SSC in 3-point percentage (37.2%). She also is tied for third in free throw percentage (85.3%).
• The Sharks as a team still rank in the nation’s top 10 in four categories: field goal percentage (45.8%, fourth), scoring offense (78.6 ppg, fifth), scoring margin (+18.9 pts, fifth) and 3-pointers per game (8.7, seventh). In addition, they have three more in the top 20: assists (17.0, 14th), turnover margin (+5.95, 15th) and steals (12.5, 19th).
• These seven team categories lead the SSC as well, along with assist/turnover ratio (1.0).
For the latest NSU news and results, be sure to visit
www.NSUSharks.com. To have results sent directly to your cell phone via text message, sign up for SMS text message delivery by
clicking here. For the latest news, be sure to sign up for the Shark Alert E-newsletter by
clicking here.
