FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 23 Nova Southeastern women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 65-65, to the visiting Bulldogs of Union University in the final game of the NSU Tipoff on Friday afternoon in the NSU Arena.
 
Despite a slow start in the first quarter, the Sharks (1-1) outscored the Bulldogs (2-0) 21-15 in the second quarter, steered by Christen Prasse with 10 points, to bring the deficit to just one point in the visitor's favor heading into halftime (32-31).
 
After the break, NSU continued to put on the offensive pressure, shooting a solid 60 percent from the field, and grabbed their largest lead of the game, five points (49-44), at the 0:48 mark with a Prasse layup.
 
The Bulldogs were able to knot the game, 53-53, at the 7:40 mark in the fourth quarter, and the two teams battled back and forth, tying the game four more times before Union took off on a 10-0 run to take the lead and never look back.
 
Prasse led all Sharks in scoring, tallying 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with a team-high six assists. Samantha Logan and Katie Barnard each scored 15 points, and pulled down 12 and eight rebounds, respectively. Barnard also added three steals.
 
Union's Jada Smith led all players with a game-high 19 points, adding seven rebounds. Jada Perkins added 15 points and Fredi Nielsen added 10 for the victorious Bulldogs.
 
The Sharks will continue home play as they host the first Sunshine State Conference game against Palm Beach Atlantic on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the NSU Arena.