Ft. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Despite cutting the lead to one on a pair of occasions in the second half, including a last second three-point basket by Brittany Carannante, the Saint Leo women’s basketball team (7-7, 0-4 SSC) remained winless in the Sunshine State Conference as they were edged by Nova Southeastern University (9-3, 2-1 SSC), 72-71, Saturday afternoon from the Don Taft University Center.
Carannante connected on a career-high seven three-point field goals on her way to a game-best 23 points (8-for-15). The senior guard also collected five rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists. Lauren Lee and Chelsea Williams also played solid minutes as they each converted double-doubles. Lee went off for a season-high 21 points (9-for-19) and led all Lions with 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, Williams secured her second double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds. In addition, Chanele Patton chipped in 11 points and hauled in eight boards.
In a game that saw only four Lions’ names on the scores sheet, Saint Leo found themselves in an early hole as the Sharks’ Quinessa Johnson bucketed five points en route to a 15-4 lead. However, Lee’s layup with 12:35 to play, coupled with Carannante’s back-to-back three pointers, sparked the Lions’ largest run of season as they ran-off 16 straight points to give Saint Leo a 20-15 lead. After Williams expanded the advantage to seven on a pair of free throws, Stephanie Sarosi and the Sharks returned the favor with a 9-2 run to once again put themselves out in front.
The two squads exchanged baskets the rest of the way, before Nova, behind a pair of Johnson and Sarosi layups, took a four-point lead going into the halftime break.
It looked as though the Sharks were about to gain full control of the game as they sprinted out of the halftime gates on their second 9-2 run of the game to take a nine-point, 40-31 lead.
However, the Green & Gold refused to quit as they slowly chipped the lead down to eight. Continuing the motto of the night, the Lions’ big three of Carannante, Lee, and Williams connected on three straight baskets to shrink the lead to one, 60-59, with 6:21 left to play.
Unfortunately, Sarosi continued her dominant play on the block, converting the next five Sharks’ points to extend the lead back to nine with just over two minutes to play.
In one final gasp, the Lions almost did the unthinkable. Down nine with under two minutes to play, Carannante hit a three-point basket to cut the lead to six. It was soon followed by a layup from Patton, shrinking the lead to four. After the Sharks hit a free throw to push the lead back to five, Lee capped her evening with a layup to slice the lead once again.
However, the Sharks’ Abbie Tepe bucketed the team’s 13th free throw of the half with 13 seconds to play. The four-point lead proved to be enough as Carannante hit on her seventh three-pointer of the game with four seconds left, but could never get the ball back as NSU escaped with a one point win.
The Lions out-rebounded the Sharks 56-42, while their bench overwhelmed the Sharks, 39-14. The team also committed a minimal 13 turnovers, but could not rise above 12 NSU blocks, including seven by Stephanie Sarosi.
The Lions will return to action next Wednesday, January 12, when they head to Tampa, Fla. to take on rival the University of Tampa in SSC action. Tip-off for the event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
