FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference seventh seed, Saint Leo Lions, upset the fourth-seeded Nova Southeastern Sharks, 82-72, in a statement road win Saturday afternoon. The victory claimed a spot in the program's history as the Lions' fourth all-time win in Fort Lauderdale since the first meeting in November 1999.

"What an awesome win for these ladies to cherish as we haven't won on the road here in a long time," exclaimed head coach Anthony Crocitto.
 
"We shared the ball incredibly well," explained Crocitto. "Alani Gallagher came in with the mindset that she was going to lead us to victory and she didn't disappoint. Meanwhile, Amanda Ulrich continues to play unbelievable rookie basketball. And, I've said it once and I'll say it again, Gina Brierley is the glue to our success and continues to grow this young ball club."

Alani Gallagher dominated down low earning a double-double with a game-high 19 points and game-high 14 rebounds. Gallagher was joined by four others scoring double digits. Amanda Ulrich added 17 points and a team-high six assists while fellow freshman Casey O'Shaughnessy cashed in 15 points. Gina Brierley contributed 13 points going 4-for-6 from the floor while posting a perfect day at the line, going 4-for-4. Alex Button also was perfect at the charity stripe going 4-for-4 while dropping a pair of three-pointers on her way to a 12-point performance.

Saint Leo (10-11, 6-7 SSC) overcame a lopsided 6-35 all-time series against record with Nova Southeastern (10-9, 6-6 SSC) by opening with a scorching .750-percent team field goal percentage in the first quarter. The Lions added to their lead with a 23-point second quarter, recording the Green and Gold's largest lead of the game of 17 points at 7:30 (32-15). The Sharks went on a run, hitting three straight field goals to cut the game back down to 13 points at 36-23. The teams battled it out until halftime, with the score stabilizing at a 13-point gap, 42-29.

Nova returned to the hardwood with a five-point run which melted the Lions lead to eight, 42-34. Saint Leo contained the Sharks' offensive onslaught and got back on track thanks to momentum provided by a Button three-pointer. Ulrich wrapped up the third quarter with a layup and free throw, 59-49.

Hailey Conley of the Sharks three-pointer at 4:26 in the fourth quarter was the only brief moment Saint Leo didn't hold a double-digit lead in the remaining 10 minutes of play.
 
Crocitto ended thanking his coaching staff. "My assistant coaches need to be given credit," he said. "Coming off a tough loss, Sabrina and Tesh empowered these women to return to the court."


Beyond the Box

• The win registered the season's second road victory, the third including neutral-site contests.
• Button stayed hot beyond the arc as the conference's three-point field goal percentage leader. The Cohocton, New York product has compiled a .471-percent from downtown so far during her sophomore campaign.
• Gallagher tallied the seventh double-double of her junior campaign in the third quarter against the Sharks. She currently sits sixth in rebounding within the conference.

Up Next
The Saint Leo Lions will continue action on the road but next week they will have a much shorter trip. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Lions will travel down I-275 to Tampa for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's basketball, be sure to 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.