Nova Southeastern Edges FIT In Women’s Basketball
By Space Coast Daily // February 28, 2013
Panthers Host Tampa On Saturday
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech and Nova Southeastern saw 11 lead changes, including eight in the second half, on Wednesday. With 40 seconds remaining in regulation, the Sharks took a two-point lead and held on to hand the Panthers a 74-71 loss at the Clemente Center.
Nova Southeastern (19-6, 11-4 SSC) gained the lead with under two minutes remaining in the first half to take a 30-24 lead into the break. In the first meeting on Jan. 23 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Tech (16-9, 8-7 SSC) took a commanding 49-32 lead at halftime.
The second half opened with four lead changes over the first three and a half minutes.
With 8:21 remaining in regulation, the Sharks extended their lead to 57-50—their largest of the game.
Then junior Ida Gustafsson began to control the tempo in FIT’s offensive zone. Gustafsson scored six of the Panthers’ next 10 points to give FIT a 60-59 lead with 3:20 on the clock.
Gustafsson hit a jumper to extend the Panthers’ lead to 66-62 with 1:48 left–scoring 10 of the last 16 FIT points.
NSU’s Meixandra Porter knocked down her fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:29 remaining to cut the Panthers’ lead to 68-67. On the Sharks’ next possession, Porter was fouled and made 1-of-2 from the charity strip to tie the game at 68-68. Scoring six-straight points, Porter gave NSU a 70-68 lead on a jumper with 40 seconds left in regulation.
With seven seconds remaining, Gustafsson made a layup to bring FIT within one point, down 72-71. But Porter hit two free throws with less than a second remaining to seal the Sharks’ victory, 74-71. Porter finished with a game-high 27 points.
Sophomore Kayk Wilson also finished with a game-high 27 points for a career best. Wilson knocked down eight field goals—two from 3-point range—and hit 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Gustafsson, who only played three minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, scored 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the second half. She went 8-of-16 from the field in the second session.
Junior Rita Acevedo recorded a quiet double-double for her sixth of the season. Acevedo collected 10 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Jami Chappell recorded nine rebounds, while contributing six points.
Both teams finished with 40 points in the paint, but it was NSU holding the advantage in points off turnovers (18-12) and fast-break points (16-10).
FIT will host Tampa on Saturday, March 2 for its final regular season game. The Panthers defeated the Spartans in Tampa on Jan. 30 by a score of 58-54. It will also be senior day for FIT on Saturday.
The Panthers will recognize their seniors Chappell and Kaylin Jaichon prior to the game. Tip is set for 2 p.m. at the Clemente Center.
