Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 14 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team used a 21-0 first-half run in defeating Fayetteville State in their second game at the Shark Holiday Classic, 65-39 Saturday evening at the NSU Arena.
The Sharks (8-2) trailed the Lady Broncos (4-5) 14-11 with 11:23 to go in the opening period. They then held the visitors scoreless for 9:45 of clock time, and moved ahead 32-14 before Shaquanza Manning's 3-pointer broke the drought at 1:38. During that time frame, FSU was 0-9 from the field and had eight turnovers.
At the half, NSU led 35-20, and the Shark defense didn't let up following the break, with FSU shooting even worse in the second half (25.7 percent compared to 30.8 percent). Their overall shooting percentage of 27.9 percent was the lowest by a Shark opponent this season, as was the 39 points scored.
Jasmine Wilkins (R-Sr., Miami) led the team in scoring for the second straight day, with 17 Saturday on 7-of-9 shooting, and a 3-of-4 mark from the free-throw line. She also paced the team with nine rebounds.
Monaye Merritt (R-Jr., Philadelphia) had 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, and was joined in double digits by
Jessica Valley's (R-Jr., Lafayette, Ind.) 10, along with four steals.
Kayla Wright (So., Lauderhill, Fla.) had six points and eight rebounds, and
Alexis Murphy (Jr., Carlisle, Ohio) had six points and a team-best five assists against just one turnover.
The Sharks are now off for the winter break, with the 2015 portion of the schedule tipping off Jan. 3 in St. Petersburg, Florida, against Eckerd.
