Box Score BOX SCORE
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s run in the Sunshine State Conference Championships ended during Saturday’s semifinal round at the Silver Spurs Arena as they fell to Rollins, 83-80.
Without an automatic bid as SSC Champions, but ranked first in the south in the latest NCAA Regional Rankings, the Sharks (20-8) will now have to wait until Sunday night to find out their postseason fate. The live-streamed NCAA DII Selection Show can be
viewed online here at NCAA.com at 10 p.m.
"There have been many upsets in the three conference tournaments that comprise our region," said head coach LeAnn Freeland. "It's hard to know for sure what the NCAA will decide, but we are hopeful that we stay at No. 1 and host the regional."
Helping out the Sharks' cause is that of the 10 teams ranked in the south, nine failed to even reach their conference championship game. Only No. 7 Rollins is still alive and playing for an automatic berth.
No. 2 Tuskegee fell last week in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference semifinals, No. 3 Delta State was defeated Saturday in the Gulf South Conference semis, and Lynn, at No. 4, was upset by Saint Leo (who have advanced to the finals on Sunday, where they will face Rollins) during Thursday's SSC quarterfinal round. No. 5 North Alabama, also in the GSC, also lost in Saturday's semifinals, and No. 6 Valdosta State lost in the GSC quarters.
Meanwhile, NSU looked to be in the driver's seat to advance over Rollins as they led from the very beginning of Saturday's game, and were up 72-63 with 5:16 remaining. But the Tars (20-8) went on an 11-0 run to take their first lead at the 2:18 mark when Tera McDaniel buried a 3-pointer to move them ahead, 74-72.
Tailor Jones (Sr., Altamonte Springs, Fla.) converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 1:11 mark to tie things up for the first and only time of the afternoon, 75-75. It was the Sharks’ fourth successful “and-one” of the second half, which included two by
Molly Blomer (Fr., West Chester, Ohio), who had a career game in the loss.
McDaniel came through with a layup with just under a minute remaining to give the Tars a 77-75 lead, one they wouldn’t relinquish. From that point on, the teams traded trips to the line, as Rollins would move up by three and foul the Sharks at midcourt before they would have a opportunity to try and tie things up.
The final free throws came with just over three seconds remaining, two from Rollins’ Sarah Taylor. A length-of-the-floor heave by Jones came up short, and the Tars moved to the Sunday championship game with the three-point victory.
"Rollins finished the game," said Freeland. "We controlled much of the tempo throughout, but Rollins took control down the stretch. Moving into the NCAA Tournament, it is important that we play every possession."
Meixandra Porter (Sr., Chantilly, Va.) took game-high honors in scoring with 19 points. Blomer had a career-high 16, including 13 in the second half, on 6-of-9 shooting and a perfect 2-of-2 from behind the arc.
Amanda Burakoski (Jr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) had 14 and
Taylor Buie (Fr., Puyallup, Wash.) 13.
Ashley Losch led Rollins with 18, while McDaniel and Emmalee Schill each had 14.
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