FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Powered by a 30-point first-half lead, the Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team came away with an easy 80-60 Sunshine State Conference victory over the Rollins Tars at the Rick Case Arena on Wednesday evening.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
FINAL: W, 80-60
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern University Sharks (13-8, 9-5 SSC), Rollins College Tars (9-11, 6-8 SSC)
LOCATION: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
1ST QUARTER | The teams scored on each of their first two possessions but quickly went in opposite directions the rest of the quarter. While the Tars missed their next four field goals and came up empty on a total of six straight possessions, their scoreless drought lasting 4:13, the Sharks made their first five field goals of the game and eight of their first nine, scoring on seven straight possessions to begin the game. After the Tars took their second and final lead of the contest by a score of 4-2 just 1:16 in, the Sharks scored the next 13 points of the game until the 4:31 mark, and extended it to an 18-2 run with under 2:30 left in the quarter. Alison Hughes closed out the frame with her first of four three-pointers in the game, giving the Sharks a 24-10 lead after 10 minutes, shooting a blistering 77 percent (10-of-13) from the field.
 
2ND QUARTER | The Sharks didn't let up in the next period, scoring the first 14 points of the quarter, for a 38-10 lead more than halfway through. After nine scoreless possessions, including nine missed field goals, four from long range, and a pair of turnovers, the Tars finally found the net with 4:18 left in the half. Five straight points by Hughes, on a three-pointer and a pair of free throws, gave the Sharks their first 30-point lead of the evening, 43-13. The Tars made a couple of late three-pointers, their first two of the game after starting 0-for-6, but the Sharks still had a big halftime advantage, 46-19, holding the Tars to just 3-of-14 (21 percent) in the quarter.
 
3RD QUARTER | The Tars tried to make their comeback out of halftime, shooting 58 percent (11-for-19) from the field and holding the Sharks to just 19% on 3-of-16. After taking a 50-22 lead on a Claire McMahon layup, the Tars then scored the next 12 points of the game, cutting the lead down to 16. They extended the run to 17-2 and 22-5, getting as close as 11 points and outscoring their first half output in less than eight minutes, but were unable to get closer than that, trailing 57-44 entering the final period.
 
4TH QUARTER | The Sharks returned to their first half shooting way in the fourth, going 7-of-12 (58 percent) from the field, as well as both of their 3-point attempts and all seven at the charity stripe. They brought the lead back up to 15 points with their first field goal of the quarter and kept it there for the rest of the game, closing with their 20-point margin of victory.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

• Led by 18 points by Hughes, including 15 before halftime, all five Sharks starters reached double digit scoring. As a whole, the starting five outscored their Rollins counterparts 72-40 and shot an even 50 percent (23-for-46) from the field.
• Christen Prasse came up just one rebound short of her fifth consecutive double-double, tallying 16 points and team-highs of nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
• Mikayla Thompson wasn't far behind, grabbing eight rebounds, including three offensive boards. The best free throw shooter on the team, she scored eight of her 14 points at the line, missing just one foul shot.
• The difference came at the stripe, as the Sharks made 21-of-25 free throw attempts, compared to the Tars, who were just 2-for-5.

 
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Sharks will stay home for the weekend, hosting the Saint Leo Lions (9-13, 4-10 SSC) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
 
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_WBasketball.