DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's basketball team overcame an 11-point deficit to knock off the Embry-Riddle Eagles, 76-69, on Wednesday in the ICI Center. The Green and Gold's offense charged up at the half for a monstrous third-quarter run. The Lions' rally clinched the program's third-straight victory, raising the Green and Gold's overall record to 13-12, 9-8 in the Sunshine State Conference as the league's fourth seed.
 
Alex Button's season-high 27-points paced the Lions' offense with 23 points coming in the second half. The sophomore guard went 9-for-16 from the field, 4-for-7 beyond the arc, and 5-for-5 at the line. The freshman guard, Amanda Ulrich, kept pace with Button, sinking 21 points. Casey O'Shaughnessy rounded off the double-digit scorers with 12 points. Alani Gallagher snagged a team-high 12 rebounds, 11 coming off the defensive window. She also contributed seven points to the comeback win.
 
Embry-Riddle (9-15, 7-11 SSC) grabbed a quick lead over the Lions in the first half as Saint Leo only shot a 30-percent in the first quarter. The hosts added three more to their lead in the second, recording their largest lead at 11 points, 39-28, with 1:35 left before the break.
 
The Lions regrouped and stunned the Eagles with a 20-9 third quarter, shooting 50-percent. Saint Leo forced the lead change with the last bucket in the third, 50-48. The Green and Gold out muscled Embry-Riddle in the fourth by five to take the road battle.  
 
Quotables
"Our guards came to rebound, got to the four line often, and defended the ball well in the second half, " said head coach Anthony Crocitto. "Alex Button played on another level tonight. I am proud of these young ladies. They earned this comeback with commitment to communication and defense."
 
"We can't wait to see so many people flood the Bowman Center on Saturday as we honor Maddie and Gina, our seniors, before the game. Go Lions!"
 
Beyond the Boxscore

• Ulrich's 23-points over the Eagles, marks the rookie's seventh 20-plus point performance, her 21^st game scoring double-digits.

 
Next
Saint Leo returns to the Marion Bowman Center on Saturday, Feb. 22 to tipoff against the Lynn Fighting Knights at 5:30 p.m. Before the tip, the Lions will honor its a pair of seniors, Madelin Lang and Gina Brierley.  
 
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.