Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 14 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team held off an upset-minded Albany State squad in Friday's Shark Holiday Classic opener, outscoring them 10-2 to end the game in a 56-47 win at the NSU Arena.
The Sharks (7-2) and Lady Rams (0-5) neither held a double-digit lead, and it was tied at 38-38 with 11:27 remaining before
Molly Blomer (Jr., West Chester, Ohio) scored five straight for the home team, on a quick lay-up off an inbound and a contested 3-pointer.
Still, ASU would hang around, cutting it to one at 46-45 at the 3:40 mark. Again, the Sharks would go on a 6-0 run, this time beginning with a huge 3-pointer by
Alexis Murphy (Jr., Carlisle, Ohio) at 2:26, and after an empty Lady Ram possession,
Jessica Valley (R-Jr., Lafayette, Ind.) would go baseline for a lay-in at 1:50 to make it 51:45.
Valley would score the next three for NSU on a free throw and another driving layup, and Murphy provided the icing with two free throws with 18 seconds left to close out the win.
Jasmine Wilkins (R-Sr., Miami) provided the bulk of the Sharks' early offense, with 17 first-half points and 21 overall. She was 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line, while adding eight rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.
Blomer and Valley were also in double digits with 11 and 10, respectively. Valley added six rebounds and six assists. Murphy posted nine points, while
Monaye Merritt (R-Jr., Philadelphia) had a team-best 10 rebounds and five assists against just one turnover.
The Sharks overcame Artisha Holston's double-double effort for ASU, with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Keidra Green added 14 points, six rebounds and four steals.
NSU is right back at it for day two of the Classic on Saturday, with a 4 p.m. tipoff against Fayetteville State, wrapping up the Sharks' schedule prior to the 14-day holiday break.
