FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- In a game featuring 23 ties, Florida Tech had the 18th and final lead change, and held off Nova Southeastern on its Senior Night 85-80 on Wednesday at the NSU Arena.
The Sharks (21-4, 11-4 SSC) led for the last time with 5:39 to go, 72-70. Florida Tech (16-11. 7-8 SSC) scored the next four to move ahead for good. The Sharks would tie it at 74-74, before four consecutive by FIT's Rita Acevedo pushed them back ahead 78-74 with 3:24 to go.
The Panthers continued to lead outright from then until exactly 1:00 remaining, when the final tie came on an old-fashioned three-point play by Jessica Russi. The Sharks' point guard scored the last five for the team, these three making it 80-80.
Acevedo continued her late roll by knocking down the go-ahead jumper with 44 seconds to go. She had scored 10 consecutive for the Panthers at that point. Down two, the Sharks' Jasmine Wilkins missed a lay-in and was fouled on the putback, but she came up empty at the line. FIT was able to make 3-of-4 from the stripe on their next two trips to close out the five-point win.
No. 5 Emporia State 81, Pittsburg State 75
EMPORIA, Kan. -- In a top-25 battle the No. 5 Lady Hornets fell 81-75 in overtime at No. 23 Pittsburg State on Wednesday night.
The Lady Hornets jumped out to a 13-2 lead to open the game with 11 points coming from Laura Patrick. The Gorillas closed within three at 10:20 left at 21-18 on Alexa Bordewick's lay-up. Emporia State would hold Pitt State to just one field goal the rest of the half. The Gorillas hit eight of ten free throws to stay in the game as the Lady Hornets took a 40-28 lead to locker room.
Emporia State went up 18 on Kionna Kellogg's three pointer with 16:30 left. Pitt State answered with an 11-2 run to cut the lead below double digits.The Lady Hornets led 71-62 with 2:51 left on Desiree Wylie's put back. The Gorillas closed the game on a 9-0 run, tying the score on a pair of Cathy Brugman free throws with 3.3 seconds left.
The Lady Hornets led 75-73 with 2:12 left in the overtime before Brugman's old fashioned three-point play gave the Gorillas the lead. Pitt State would score the final six points of the game from the free throw line to hand Emporia State just their third loss of the season.
