FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After a pregame ceremony honoring her efforts and those of her fellow seniors, Christen Prasse converted emotion into energy, recording her third career triple-double, all in her shortened 19-game campaign this season, as she led the Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team to another dominant win at the Rick Case Arena on Wednesday evening, this time by a score of 77-53 over Palm Beach Atlantic.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
FINAL: W, 77-53
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern University Sharks (17-10, 13-7 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (5-20, 3-16 SSC)
LOCATION: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
1ST QUARTER | The Sharks jumped out to an early 7-1 lead 2:12 into the game, starting with Katie Barnard's third three-pointer of the season and the eighth of her career, but then went silent for the next 4:30. Meanwhile, the Sailfish, who scored just one point at the line on their first six possessions, quickly went on a 6-0 run in 1:31 to tie the game. It was tied again at both 9 and 11 points, which was the score at the end of the period.
 
2ND QUARTER | After a pair of Mikayla Thompson free throws just 11 seconds in, the Sharks led for the entire rest of the game. Though Barnard made the team's first three-point attempt of the game, seven different Sharks combined to miss their next 13, until they ended the half with three in a row in the final 2:32: two by Alison Hughes, back-to-back, and one by Christen Prasse with just seven seconds remaining that gave the Sharks their largest lead of the half, 32-24. Prasse scored seven points in the quarter, making all three of her shots, already giving her 11 at halftime, along with six rebounds and three assists.
 
3RD QUARTER | Prasse then brought down four rebounds and dished out six assists in the third, putting her just one assist away from the triple-double with the entire fourth left to play. Once again, the Sharks dominated the offensive glass, with a 9-3 edge in offensive rebounds, but could only turn them into two second-chance points. They finally led by double digits for the first time at the 4:31 mark, when Claire McMahon split a pair at the line, part of a 7-0 Sharks run. They led by as many as 17 and closed the frame with a 55-40 advantage.
 
4TH QUARTER | Thompson hit her sixth three-pointer of the season to put the Sharks ahead by 20 (60-40) with 7:22 left. Prasse picked up a steal at the 4:40 mark and fed Cheray Saunders downcourt for an easy fastbreak layup, her 10th assist of the game to clinch the triple-double. Coach LeAnn Freeland-Curry allowed her five seniors to walk off the Rick Case Arena court together for what may be the last time, and Hailey Conley immediately a straight-away three-pointer for a game-high 29 points, though the Sailfish scored the last five points to bring the game to its final score.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

• Prasse finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the triple-double, to go along with a season-high four steals.
• Alison Hughes tallied a game-high 15 points, hitting three more 3-pointers, giving her 81 on the season and 156 in her NSU career.
• After ending the first quarter tied, the Sharks out-scored Palm Beach Atlantic, 66-42, in the final three quarters.
• The Sharks had 53 rebounds, including 23 on the offensive end, both their second-highest totals of the season. They also had their highest rebounding margin of the season, at 24.
• The Sharks out-scored the Sailfish in the paint, 44-26, and off the bench, 27-11.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

• Prasse is just the second player in NCAA Div. II this season with three triple-doubles and the sixth since 2002.
• The Sharks have won each of their last seven home games by double-digits, dating back to their 66-52 win over Tampa on Jan. 12.

 
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Sharks will take advantage of a bye weekend this upcoming Saturday, and will await to hear their postseason fate based on Saturday's other SCC outcomes.
 
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_WBasketball.