TAMPA, Fla. - Bridie McCann dropped 22 points with four rebounds, and Markayla Holland added 16 points and five boards, but #4 Nova Southeastern suffered a 79-60 road loss at Tampa on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks did score 20 points off 19 Spartan turnovers, but were unable to mount a comeback in the second half.



Score: #4 Nova Southeastern 60 | Tampa 79
Records: #4 Nova Southeastern 19-2 (11-2 SSC) | Tampa 13-8 (8-4 SSC)
Location: Martinez Center | Tampa, Fla.
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The Spartans got off to a quick start, as they went up 7-0 before Markayla Holland hit two free throws to get the Sharks on the board. The Spartans went up 11-4 on a putback from Ryan Franklin, forcing an NSU timeout. Bridie McCann then took over for NSU, as the junior scored 12 points in the quarter. The Sharks went ahead 16-15 on McCann's three-pointer at the 3:06 mark, swinging the momentum in their favor. However, the Spartans then closed the quarter on a 10-0 run, as Alanis Diaz hit a three at the buzzer to give Tampa a 25-16 lead at the end of the first.

Tampa went up 31-19 at the 7:22 mark of the second quarter, as they got two free throws from Giorgia Palmieri, a layup from Diaz and another jumper from Palmieri. NSU cut the deficit to 10 on two free throws from McCann and continued chipping away. They cut the deficit to 32-27 on a layup from Taydra Simpson and they trailed 34-30 after Holland's second three-pointer of the quarter. However, the Spartans went up by 10 again after a technical foul and free throws, and they led 43-30 with 90 seconds remaining after a three from Olivia Davis. Tampa nursed a 43-33 halftime lead after Kaliyah Morales converted three free throws for NSU. 

In the third quarter, the Spartans went up 45-33, but the Sharks defense then came alive. The Sharks trailed 49-46 at the media timeout after a three-pointer from Simpson, a Tampa five-second violation, a bucket and two free throws from Holland, and a free throw from Morales. The Spartans countered defensively, as they held the Sharks to just two baskets the rest of the quarter. Tampa led 59-50 at the end of the third, as McCann drilled a jumper at the buzzer to pull NSU within nine.

Morales drilled a three as the shot clock expired early in the fourth, but Davis scored to push Tampa's lead back to 63-53. The Spartans took a 69-53 lead before Celeste Reed made a layup with just over four minutes remaining. The Spartans defense tightened and kept the Sharks at bay, as they took a commanding 79-59 lead with just over a minute remaining in the game. Zoe Adams split two free throws for NSU's final point as they fell 79-60.




The Sharks now stand at 19-2 (11-2 SSC) and will visit Barry on Wednesday, February 4 for a 5:30 PM tilt. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Women's Basketball, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_WBasketball.