MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The seventh-seeded Saint Leo Lions upset the second-seeded Barry Buccaneers 73-64 in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament Quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Lions overcame a 17-point deficit for the first-round win which was held in the Health and Sports Center.

The comeback was led by Amanda Ulrich with 16 points going 5-for-13 from the field sinking four three-pointers and going 2-for-4 at the line. Two other Lions joined Ulrich in double-digit scoring; Kiki McIntyre tallied 12 points going 6-for-12 while Casey O'Shaughnessy added 10 points going 4-for-7 on the night including a three-pointer.

Tori Lesko earned a team-high seven rebounds helped by Day Jackson, Ulrich, and McIntyre all with six apiece. The Lions work off the glass hauled in 44 total rebounds over Barry's 35. Saint Leo also won the battle in the paint, outscoring the Bucs 36-22.

"What an exhilarating team win from top to bottom," said head coach Anthony Crocitto. "Our bench was absolutely amazing in the first half with many contributions. Abby Zeitsiff's two three-pointers propelled us."

Barry jumped out for an early double-figure lead. The Bucs closed the first quarter on a 10-0 run to make it 23-11. Barry recorded its largest lead of the night at 17 points (31-14) off a good three-pointer at 7:27 in the second quarter. At just the right time, the Green and Gold found its rhythm. McIntyre made a pull-up jumper and Ulrich took that as a cue to have some fun. Jackson snagged a steal which converted into an Ulrich layup at the other end. Ulrich continued, pulling down a defensive rebound and making a three-pointer to bring the game within 10 (31-21) at 5:49. The score hovered around a 10-point gap until Abby Zeitsiff's good three-pointer pushed in the halftime break with a seven-point differential; 41-34.
 
"We played such great basketball in the second half and I cannot be any prouder," continued Crocitto. "It is very difficult to win on the road at any level.

"Casey O'Shaughnessy's three was probably the biggest shot of her short career and Amanda's pass to her was one of the biggest passes in her career.

"Kiki McIntyre has had an amazing start to her career at Saint Leo and carried us at times tonight."
 
Alani Gallagher tied up and then recorded the lead change on the line at (43-42) at 6:10 in the third quarter. Saint Leo wrapped up the third on top (55-53) after exchanging baskets and the leader title multiple times with Barry.
 
Saint Leo was able to pull away in the final quarter as Barry only managed to score 2 baskets of its last 14 field goal attempts. A 9-0 run between the eighth- and fourth-minute marks saw a Lesko free throw, Gallagher layup, a second-chance layup by Alex Button, and another three-pointer by Ulrich, who added another point on the line to make it 66-58. The eight-point gap alongside some finishing free throws claimed the ticket to the next round of the SSC Tournament.
 
Crocitto made sure to highlight his assistant coach, Tesh Johnson. He said, "Tesh has kept this team ready over the last 10 days. She is certainly going to be very good in this business for a long time."
 
Coach Crocitto then turned his attention to the fans saying, "We love everyone's energy from afar and we know you would love to be with us. Please, keep the energy coming. You all empower these women so wonderfully."

Up next, the seventh-seeded Lions will travel to the third-seeded Tampa Spartans on Thursday, March 18 for a 5:00 pm tipoff. 

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.
 
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.