SAINT LEO, Fla. – Despite a monstrous 26-point effort from Melissa Jackson, the Saint Leo University women's basketball team dropped an 80-78 overtime battle to Florida Tech on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions dip to 5-6 and 0-2 in Sunshine State Conference play, while the Panthers improve to a pristine 11-0 and 2-0 in SSC matchups.
Senior Jackson unloaded 26 points while posting a career-mark with 18 rebounds. The double-double onslaught was her fifth of the season and the tenth game where she reach double-digit points. The forward was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line while shooting 56% from the field.
Fellow senior Kinnara Lewis had her own career effort, notching 19 points while dishing out three assists. Junior Monique Bunk reached double-digits with 10 points to round out the scoring attack for the Lions.
The Panthers were led by Shequana Harris, as the guard totaled a game-high 30 points for the visitors. Saint Leo was able to stymie Florida Tech's leading scorer Kayk Wilson in the opening half, limiting the guard to three points. The senior ended the match with 15 points and seven boards.
The back-and-forth showdown saw 13 lead changes and 12 tied scores but Saint Leo was unable to take the contest, ultimately dropping the game in overtime.
The Panthers controlled the game for the early minutes, as Saint Leo built their defensive strategy. The Lions tied the contest at 7-7 with 14:32 remaining before earning the lead. After eclipsing the 10-minute mark, Saint Leo owned a 23-15 margin over the undefeated Panthers, stifling FIT's scoring threat Wilson.
The Panthers went on a 15-0 run to take a 34-25 lead over the Green and Gold, ending the first stanza with a 38-29 deficit. The Lions were able to limit Wilson to a meager 1-for-6 from the field to open the half.
Saint Leo rallied in the second frame, tying the game at 48 before the two squads traded points to end regulation 67-67 and force an overtime period.
Guard Chachi Guzman began with a layup before Harris drained a basket from beyond the arc. FIT would take the contest by an 80-78 final tally.
The Green and Gold will return to the court to face Florida Southern College at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7 in the Marion Bowman Activities Center. Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be made available through www.saintleolions.com.
For more information on the Saint Leo women's basketball program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
