JACKSON, Tenn. – The No. 23 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team took their NCAA Tournament opener on the backs of a big third quarter and all five starters in double digits, topping third seed Delta State on Friday afternoon, 75-64.
 
The Sharks (24-6) didn't lead all throughout the first half, but a Taylor Buie (R-Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) 3-pointer with about 20 seconds left cut the deficit to two heading into the locker room, 33-31.
 
The third quarter saw the team come out on all cylinders. They made their first seven shots, three from 3-point range. Buie's '3' opened up the second-half scoring at the 8:49 mark to push them ahead for the first time, and the resulting layup by Delta State (22-7) proved to be the final time the unranked Lady Statesmen were ahead.
 
The opening 4:39 of the third consisted of a 15-2 NSU run, and all told, they outscored DSU 19-6 in the frame, making 8-of-13 shots and 3-of-4 from 3-point range.
 
The closest the Lady Statesmen got it to was six late in the fourth, 61-55, but the Sharks would end the game scoring 26 points more than DSU's nation-leading scoring defense (49.5). It was the most, by 11, that the team had given up all season (64 to West Florida in early February).

"Our players fought very hard together to advance," said head coach LeAnn Freeland. "Delta State is a very physical and strong team. They lead the nation in scoring defense because of their strength and their helpside. We did a very good job getting them into early foul trouble with our aggressive cuts, screens and drives at the rim."
 
After struggling from the field in the first half, NSU was 16-of-28 after the break, 57.1 percent. Buie led the way with 17, making 4-of-6 shots towards 12 in the second half. Monaye Merritt (R-Sr., Philadelphia, Pa.) chipped in with 14, six assists, four rebounds and four steals.
 
Next with a dozen points and a team-high seven rebounds was Ida Krogh (R-Sr., Aarhus, Denmark), whose wide open 3-pointer from straight away with 2:01 left proved to be the dagger. She also had four assists. Moly Blomer (Sr., West Chester, Ohio) made three 3-pointers among her 11 points, and Kayla Wright (Jr., Lauderhill, Fla.) had 10 tough points inside.
 
Wrapping up the Shark scoring was another senior, Alexis Murphy (Carlisle, Ohio), who had six – along with five rebounds and four assists – and Octavia Wilson (Jr., Nicholasville, Ky.) with five.

"We had players step up throughout the game to make big plays on both ends of the floor," said Freeland. "Our staff is proud of our 40-minute effort."
 
Chelsey Rhodes scored 26 points in her final appearance in a DSU uniform, but was held decently in check after ending the first quarter with 15 on 5-of-8 shooting. She scored the remaining 11 in the final quarter, but was just 3-of-14 from the field over after the first.
 
NSU moves on to play the winner of Friday's second game, No. 2 seed (and nationally-ranked No. 11) Benedict, who beat seventh seed Florida Tech, 51-30. Game time from Jackson on Saturday is 6 p.m. EST.