DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Down 51-50 with 33 seconds left in the game, the Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team rallied to steal the victory from the host Eagles of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 56-51. The win over the Sunshine State Conference provisional member move NSU to 15-10 while the Eagles fall to 14-9.
 
The Sharks came off the bench hot in the first quarter, shooting 53.8 percent compared to the Eagles' 20 percent from the field. NSU also connected on three three-pointers in the first, including two from Megan Piggott. At 6-5 in NSU's favor, the Sharks exploded for a 12-3 run, sparked by one of Piggott's triples, to close out the quarter with an 18-8 lead.
 
It was the Eagles' turn in the second quarter, however, as the home team was 7-of-17 from the field to outscore the Sharks, 16-10, bringing the deficit to just four at the break. A three-point shot by Samantha Logan at the 8:06 mark served as the only score for the Sharks for almost four minutes as Embry-Riddle took off on a 12-0 unanswered run to come within one, 21-20. Another three by Piggott and layups by Maria Bardeeva allowed the Sharks to put a little more cushion in their lead heading into the break, 28-24.
 
A jumper by Sabrina Whiting and a three-point play by Tara Fields early in the third quarter gave ERAU its first lead of the game, 29-28. A layup by Christen Prasse gave the Sharks back a one-point lead before Embry-Riddle's Mercedes Jorge used a layup at the 7:25 mark to steal back the advantage, one the Eagles would hold into the final quarter.
 
The Eagles grabbed their largest lead of the game at the 6:17 mark of the fourth with a jumper by Fields, 43-38, and continued to stay at least two points in front of the Sharks until the 2:25 mark when a layup by Amanda Tivenius brought NSU within one, 47-46. The two teams traded jumpers and the lead before a layup by Prasse with 15 seconds on the clock gave the Sharks the one-point edge, 52-51. NSU's defense shined in the final seconds as two steals made by Logan and Piggott sealed the NSU victory as the Eagles were forced to send the Sharks to the line twice.
 
Tivenius led the scoring for NSU, tallying 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, while being just a rebound away from a double-double performance. Piggott was the next highest scorer with 14 points, hitting on 3-of-5 from deep and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Bardeeva was the last Shark in double-digits, record 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field. Prasse tallied a team-high three assists and had three steals.
 
Fields was ERAU's leader with a game-high 19 points, adding eight rebounds, and Whiting was close behind with 16 points. Lauren Ellenberger tallied a game-high seven assists and four steals.
 
The Sharks will play for the last time of the regular season in the Rick Case Arena this upcoming Saturday as they host Saint Leo at 2:00 p.m. The game will also serve as NSU's Senior Day, where the Sharks will honor seniors Katie Barnard, Samantha Logan and Octavia Wilson. For live stats and video, head to the women's basketball schedule page at NSUSharks.com.