Eastern Florida’s women’s basketball team took another highly ranked opponent to the wire on Saturday falling 90-86 in overtime to Daytona State College in Daytona Beach. (EFSC Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida’s women’s basketball team took another highly ranked opponent to the wire on Saturday falling 90-86 in overtime to Daytona State College in Daytona Beach.
Eastern Florida, playing the nation’s toughest schedule according to the Massey Ratings, fell to 7-7.
Daytona State improved to 16-1 with its 15th straight victory. The Falcons are ranked seventh nationally and third in Florida.
Eastern Florida, ranked eighth in Florida, rallied from a 21-point third-quarter deficit to tie things at 75-75, forcing the overtime.
Sophomore guard Emma Grimes led Eastern Florida with 24 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the three-point line.
Classmate and guard Nene Johnson and freshman forward Trudy Walker added 14 points each while freshman Dysheka Price scored 11.
Walker also pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds as Eastern Florida outrebounded Daytona State 48-35.
Eastern Florida was 11-for-18 from the free throw line to 24-for-24 for Daytona State.
Jim Grimes
“Daytona is a great team,” said Eastern Florida head coach Jim Grimes.
“You have to play a complete 40 minutes to beat a team like that and we were not able to do that today. I was very proud of how we responded in the fourth quarter though. Hopefully we can learn from today and take that it into conference play.”
The women now transition to Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference play, opening defense of their championship at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Petersburg College.
Eastern Florida opens its home conference schedule hosting Miami Dade College at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9.
