General Feb 03, 2020

Lions Ledger: Basketballs Travel to Tampa for Midweek Showcase

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RECORDS: Saint Leo 10-11, 6-7 SSC | #24 Tampa 16-3, 13-0 SSC
Saint Leo heads to Tampa after knocking off Nova Southeastern 82-72 on the road where five players scored double-figures, led by Alani Gallagher who posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
On the year, three players average double-digits in Amanda Ulrich (14.5 ppg), Alani Gallagher (13.8), and Alex Button (13.5). In conference games, Ulrich still leads the team at 15.2 ppg while Button takes second at 14.9 and Gallagher at 13.6.
Overall, the Lions take the highest scoring offensive team to the Bay at 72.2 ppg while the Green and Gold sit in seventh in defense at 68.3.
No. 24 Tampa rides a 14-game winstreak into the matchup with a most recent 70-58 win over Rollins Saturday. Melijah Sullivan led the way with a game-high 29 points in the win going 12-of-15 from the field.
Dori Nagy leads the team in scoring at 16.7 ppg while LaShayla Wright-Ponder and Sullivan are second and third, respecitvely. at 14.4 and 13.4 ppg.
The Spartans are seventh in scoring (66.1) while sitting atop the leaderboard at 55.8 ppg in defense.
HISTORY: In the previous meeting this season, Tampa snuck away with a 72-66 win in overtime where Ulrich posted a team-high 18 points with Gallagher at 17 and Button at 12. Wright-Ponder blew up for a game-high 32 points in the road win as Nagy posted a double-double with 15 poitns and 12 rebounds.

RECORDS: Saint Leo 13-8, 7-6 SSC | Tampa 6-15, 3-10 SSC
Saint Leo travels to Tampa looking to snap a three-game skid. The Lions fell 0-2 last week with matchups against No. 7 Florida Southern (114-103) and at No. 6 Nova Southeastern (97-84). In the setback on the road, Kyran McClure led the Green and Gold in scoring with 24 points.
On the season, McClure is the team leader in scoring at 21.1 points per game (ppg) while Isaiah Hill is second at 17.1 ppg and Rusty Moorer at 10.9 ppg. In conference games, McClure averages 21.2 ppg, Hill 19.3 and Moorer 13.3.
The Lions travel to Tampa with the eighth best scoring offense (80.0) and second best scoring defense (75.2 ppg) in the league.
Tampa turned in a 1-1 week last week, knocking off Eckerd 78-61 before falling on the road at Rollins 87-74. In the loss against the Tars, Pat Bacon was the lead with 24 points with a 13-for-13 mark from the free throw line.
On the year, Bacon leads the team in average at 22.8 ppg while Derrick Felder (12.8) and Martin Lakovic (10.9) are second and third, respectively.
The Spartans are 11th in the league in scoring (69.5) and are third in defense at 77.0 ppg.
HISTORY: In the last meeting, the Green and Gold came away with a 69-65 overtime win in the Bowman Center on Dec. 14. McClure dropped 24 points ahead of Yalen Reed's 20 while Derrick Felder scored a game-high 25 points for the Spartans. Saint Leo is 5-1 in the last six meetings against the Spartans.