SAINT LEO, Fla. – The fourth seed Saint Leo Lions are set to travel down Interstate 275 this afternoon to face the first seed Tampa Spartans in the Sunshine State Conference Semifinals. The second round is slated to tipoff at 7 p.m. in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center in downtown Tampa, Fla.
 
Saint Leo defeated Nova Southeastern, the fifth seed, 74-55, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 3 in the Marion Bowman Activities Center. Amanda Ulrich had a game-high 34 points followed by Gina Brierley (15) and Alani Gallagher (13) in the victory. Alex Button led the team off the glass with nine rebounds.
 
As a team, the Lions average 71.2 points per game shooting 42.5 percent from the field. Beyond the arc, the Green and Gold sink 35.9 percent and make 71.0 percent of tosses at the charity stripe. Saint Leo also averages 36.2 rebounds, 12.0 assists, commit 14.4 turnovers, earn 6.0 steals, and tally 3.2 blocks per game so far this season.
 
Tampa drew the top-seed after recording its sixth regular-season title. The Spartans went 19-1 in conference play this season, taking a 56-51 loss from Florida Southern in Tampa. The Spartans, ranked 15th nationally, cruised to a 76-36 quarterfinal victory over Embry-Riddle, the tournament's eighth seed. Melijah Sullivan dropped 19 points while LaShayla Wright-Ponder earned a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Spartans average 67.2 points per game going .50.3 percent from the hardwood, .34.4 percent from downtown and .74.1 percent at the line. Together they average 35.8 rebounds, 15.1 assists, commit 13.9 turnovers, earn 4.4 steals and record 1.6 blocks per game.
 
The Series
The Spartans swept the regular season series over the Lions in 2019-20. Saint Leo took Tampa to overtime in a 72-66 loss in the Marion Bowman Activities Center on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019. The last time the teams met in Tampa, Fla., the Spartans downed the Lions 73-58 on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020.
 
The programs last met in the SSC postseason in 2014 during the tournament semifinals. Tampa, the first seed defeated Saint Leo, the fourth seed, 80-74.
 
All-Conference Members on the Floor
Saint Leo boasts Amanda Ulrich, who was named SSC Freshman of the Year in yesterday's all-conference announcement, and Alani Gallagher, the SSC Defensive Player of the Year. Ulrich's name fills the SSC leaderboard in points per game (2^nd – 17.3), minutes played per game (4^th- 35.2), steals a game (10^th – 1.5), and assists a game (10^th – 2.9). The rookie point guard enters the game with a 40.8 shooting percentage, hitting .34.2 percent of thee-balls, and 79.5 percent of free throws. Gallagher is one of three players in the conference with over 13 points and eight rebounds per game. The junior forward's name is also among the conference leaders in blocks per game (2^nd – 1.1), rebounds (4^th - 8.2) and in scoring (10^th – 13.6).
 
Dori Nagy, the SSC Player of the Year, and Lashayla Wright-Ponder, the Newcomer of the Year, will be on the hardwood for the Spartans. Nagy paces the conference in rebounding (1^st – 9.5) and scoring (3^rd – 16.0). Wright-Ponder leads the league in field goal percentage (1^st – 58.5%) and rebounding (3^rd- 8.2).
 
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