FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Fourth-ranked Nova Southeastern moved to 8-0 on the season by defeating Benedict 79-40 on the first day of the 2013 Shark Invitational on Monday night at the NSU Arena.
The Sharks (8-0, 1-0 SSC) sprinted out to a 12-0 lead early. Benedict (5-2) started out cold, not notching its first points until the 15:46 mark, and shooting 2 of 13 from the field to start. NSU extended its lead to 22-4 with 11:12 remaining, and was up 35-12 at the break as the Tigers committed 17 first-half turnovers and shot just 20.7 percent from the field (6 of 29).
NSU started out the second half on a 10-4 run, with eight of those points coming from Richelle Carach. She would finish the night with a new career high of 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting.
The closest Benedict would get was 21 at 52-31 with 9:15 remaining, and the Sharks went on a 16-1 run from that point until the 4:52 mark. Taylor Buie scored 11 of her 20 points during a span of 2 1/2 minutes near the tail end of that run.
Besides Carach and Buie, Alexis Murphy was also in double digits with 10, while Jessica Russi and Danielle Robinson each chipped in with nine points. Russi also had eight assists, four steals and two blocks, while Robinson had a team-high seven rebounds as well as a season-high six steals, contributing to the Sharks' team total of 19, as they forced 28 Benedict turnovers.
The Sharks made 11 of 33 3-pointers, led by Buie and Russi with three apiece. Conversely, the Tigers were 0 of 19 from behind the arc on the night, and had an overall field goal percentage of just 23.1 percent (15-of-65).
Barry took the first game of Monday's Invitational, topping No. 23 Shaw, 88-69. The Buccaneers will face Benedict at 4 p.m.Tuesday while the Sharks and Shaw will tip off at 6.
