BOX SCORE

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Scoring at least 70 points in its fourth straight game, the Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team (4-0) won its first road game, 76-57, against Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (1-3), Tuesday night at the Rubin Arena.

The Sharks trailed in the first half against PBA for the first time in the 2010-11 season. In a very physical game, 26 fouls were called between both teams, 13 for each. The Sharks had their worst shooting half this season only hitting 9-for-33 for 27 percent.

Senior Jada Buckner opened the game hitting a shot from behind the arc for three of her 11 points in the half.

As NSU hit a three-minute scoring drought, the Sailfish took an 11-7 lead. Back-and-forth between both teams, the Sharks seemed to tally most of their points at the free-throw line, hitting 12-of-18 for 67 percent in the first half.

Nova Southeastern held the lead at the two minute mark but could not score another basket as Palm Beach Atlantic got two points from the free throw line to take a one point lead heading into the locker room, 35-34.

The Sharks opened the second half on an 8-0 run as seniors Stephanie Sarosi (Mims, Fla.) and Abbie Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored four each in the run. Sarosi muscled her way inside for two layups before Tepe stole a ball and laid it in on the fast break and then was fouled on another fast break and hit both free throws.

Junior transfer Jessica Walter (Knoxville, Tenn.) gave the Sharks an 11-point lead on a three at the 8:50 mark to increase the lead by double-digits for the first time in the game.

With the game in the bag, junior Emiliya Yancheva (Sofia, Bulgaria) added some extra insurance with two baskets in the last 30 seconds to give NSU a 19-point win.

NSU hit over 50 percent of its shots in the second half outscoring the Sailfish, 42-22.

Tepe, who was the game leading scorer with 19, scored 13 points in the second half. She was perfect from the field hitting four from the field and two behind the arc. The Cincinnati, Ohio native also recorded two blocks in the win, the first time she has gotten two in a game in her career. She also was the game leader in steals with six for 200 in her career.

Defensively the Sharks out blocked the Sailfish, 8-2 and forced 28 turnovers. Freshman Jasmine Wilkins (Miami, Fla.) tallied a game-high three blocks for the game.

The Sharks will spend the Thanksgiving weekend on the road at the Metro State Thanksgiving Classic in Denver, Colo. as NSU squares off against host Metro State on Friday at 3 p.m. followed by Western State on Saturday at 1 p.m.