TAMPA, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's basketball team, seeded fourth, fell 72-57 to the top-seeded Tampa, in the Sunshine State Conference Semifinals in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The decision closed a stellar year for the Saint Leo Lions recording the most conference wins in program history with a 10-10 conference run in a 15-15 overall season.
 
Tampa (24-3, 19-1 SSC) jumped to a 15-point (27-15) lead in the second quarter (4:42). The Lions regrouped and overwhelmed the Spartans in the third quarter to force a lead change; 40-39 in final minute of the third. The deciding fourth quarter saw Tampa generate a series of runs to pull ahead, returning to a double-digit lead at 3:25 (57-47). A three-point jumper by Alani Gallagher would briefly return the game to singles digits but Tampa reestablished the gap with six points on the line.   
 
Alani Gallagher tallied a double-double scoring 16 points and 13 rebounds while Amanda Ulrich paced the offense with a game-high 22 points. Gina Brierley added seven points and five rebounds to the efforts.
 
Quotables
"What a fantastic year," exclaimed head coach Anthony Crocitto. "I'm proud to see the two seniors go out like that, though, we all wanted to carry on.
 
"We fought and in the end, they were too much. Hats off to the region's best, who have a great shot at making noise in the NCAA tournament. Alani fought with the top two bigs in the league and threw up a double-double."
 
Crocitto turned his attention to the preseason expectations that the team superseded: "We were picked tenth. But we won 15 games and made the final four of the SSC overall and in the tournament."
 
The Lions season ender on the road didn't feel like an away game, "Thank you so much to Kimesha Norris and Jen Shaw for organizing an amazing fan section. They were part of the reason we kept the game close for 35 minutes. Thank you to our administration, SWA, President, and so many more VP and folks who supported our season.
 
"We will be back. We will be stronger," concluded Crocitto.
 
Beyond the Boxscore

• Ulrich, the SSC Freshman of the Year, wrapped up her freshman campaign scoring six-straight 20-plus games. The night registered her 26^th game scoring double-digits.
• Gallagher, the SSC Defensive Player of the Year, finished her junior season with 10 double-doubles after her work on the hardwood at Tampa.
• Saint Leo has gone to the SSC postseason every year under the direction of Anthony Crocitto.
• Saint Leo was picked to finish 10^th of 11 teams in the SSC Coaches' Preseason Poll. Instead, the Lions finished as the fourth seed, recorded the program's most conference wins, and ended the season in the SSC Semifinals.

 
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