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LIVE STATS FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 4 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team, after three home games to start the year, will embark on their first of back-to-back road conference matchups, traveling to take on Saint Leo Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The Sharks (3-0, 1-0 SSC) had their closest margin of victory Wednesday, defeating conference and border rival Lynn by nine points, 67-58. They had six players score between seven and 14 points, and nine members of the team played 11 minutes or more.
Taylor Buie (R-Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) and
Monaye Merritt (R-Sr., Philadelphia) each contributed double digits in points for the third consecutive game, and they currently combine for an average of 32.4 per contest (16.7 and 15.7, respectively).
After a 1-1 mark against at the SSC/SIAC Challenge hosted by Florida Southern (falling on a buzzer beater to Clark Atlanta, but defeating Paine by 23), Saint Leo lost their conference opener Wednesday, 68-51 to Eckerd. The Lions trailed 21-6 at the end of the first quarter, eventually cut it to seven at the end of the third, but fell prey to a Tritons' run in the final frame. Chelsy Springs, the squad's season leader in points and rebounds (21.3/10.7), had 23 and 12 in the loss.
That scoring average for the junior transfer from Daytona State College is the top mark in the SSC here in the early going, while her rebounding is second, and her field goal percentage (60.5 percent) is also first. Returning point guard Chachi Guzman is tied for first in the league in assists at 5.3 per, and she is second on the team in points per game at 15.7.
The Sharks have six different players ranked in the SSC's top five in nine individual statistical categories, making up 10 total places among the league leaders. Best in the league are
Molly Blomer (Sr., West Chester, Ohio) and
Mary Hirt (So., Hartland, Wisc.), tied for the highest free throw percentage, each flawless to begin the year; Blomer again, first in 3-point percentage at a cool 50 percent; Buie, tied for first in 3-pointers made per game with 3.0 per; and Merritt, tied for first in blocked shots per game at 1.7.
The Sharks have a robust lead in the all-time series, 26-5, which includes win in each of the last six matchups and 10 of the last 11. Last season, NSU claimed three victories, at each home venue during the regular season (69-55 in Fort Lauderdale and 65-61 to end the regular season in St. Leo), then followed up the latter with an immediate rematch in the quarterfinals of the SSC Championship in Kissimmee. Despite only five days' turnaround time, NSU won that contest by 33, 87-54, scoring the most points by a team in an SSC postseason game in seven years.
