Box Score
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 5 Nova Southeastern women's basketball team moved to 7-1 as they finished their first run through the Sunshine State Conference, and 16-1 overall, outlasting the Saint Leo Lions on Wednesday at the NSU Arena, 85-76.
Both teams shot well in the first half of play, though the Sharks took an 11-point lead, 44-33, with 2:02 left to go before the break. Saint Leo (14-4, 5-3 SSC) countered with a mini-run of 8-2 to end the half to make it 46-41. At that point, the Lions were shooting 53 percent (18-of-34), while the Sharks were a bit better, 57 percent (20-of-35), while making 6-of-14 from behind the arc.
Saint Leo continued to chip into the lead as the second half began, extending that 8-2 spurt out to 14-4 and just a one-point deficit, 48-47 with 17:10 left.
Quickly, the Sharks scored the next seven, on layups from
Danielle Robinson (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and
Jasmine Wilkins (R-Jr., Miami), followed by a 3-pointer by Robinson. The game was literally back-and-forth from then on, for the remaining 15:57. The Shark lead was never less than four or any more than 10.
With 10:32 to go, Saint Leo cut it to four (57-53), but back-to-back 3-pointers by
Molly Blomer (So., West Chester, Ohio) and
Ashley Robinson (Fr., Jensen Beach, Fla.) in a span of 22 seconds pushed the team back out ahead by 10, 63-53.
It would be a four-point spread again at 6:21 (68-64), and finally, at 1:58 (79-75). In the latter stretch until the final horn, the Sharks outscored the Lions 6-1 to provide the ending margin.
Danielle Robinson scored a season-high 25 points to lead all scorers. She was 9-of-15 overall, 3-of-6 from behind the arc and made all four of her free throws. She also had eight rebounds and four steals.
Taylor Buie (So., Puyallup, Wash.) was next with 19 points, while Wilkins had her fifth double-double of the year, and 10th of her career, with 16 points and 10 boards.
Amanda Burakoski (Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) had all seven of her points in the second half to contribute to 17 total bench points for the Sharks.
Jessica Russi (Sr., Lake Mary, Fla.), despite some foul trouble, added four points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Saint Leo had two players in excess of 20 points: Chelsea Williams with 24, and 22 from Teresa Manigrasso. The Lions shot just 39.5 percent in the second half, while making just 1-of-9 3-pointers (and just 3-of-18 overall).
The Sharks go back out on the road this upcoming Saturday, Feb. 1, to take on the Florida Southern Mocs, to begin the second half of the SSC season. Tipoff will be 5:30 from Lakeland, Fla.
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