Saint Leo, Fla. - The Saint Leo University women's basketball team battled till the end in a 70-58 loss to Florida Southern on Wednesday night at the Marion Bowman Activities Center. Taydra Simpson led the Lions offense for the second straight game with a 16-point showing against the Mocs.

Saint Leo falls to 9-5 overall and 3-3 in SSC play. Florida Southern improved to 9-5 overall and 2-5 in conference action.
 
The Lions controlled the opening quarter leading the Mocs by as much as seven. Good defense allowed the Lions to build a nine-point lead after the first ten minutes. Southern took control of the second quarter and took its first lead on a free throw attempt by Amari Jackson with less than two minutes remaining in the first half.  Kamaria Sherriff sunk a free throw to give the Lions a 26-16 lead midway through the second quarter. Florida Southern closed out the second quarter on a 13-0 run to turn a ten-point deficit into a three point advantage heading into the half time break.

The teams battled in the third quarter as Saint Leo attempted to get back into the game. Alayna Harris opened the second half scoring pulling the home team within one, but FSC used a 7-0 run to regrow its lead. Saint Leo got the deficit down to as little as two points twice late in the third quarter but a trio of missed shots in the final minute of the third kept the visitors in the lead. After an even 18-18 third quarter, the Mocs held onto a three-point lead headlining into the final quarter.

Chynna Mattair opened the fouth quarter making a pair of free throws to make it a 47-46 game. However, Southern's offense revved back up as the Mocs used an 8-0 run to resolidify their lead, a lead that would not fall under five points for the remainder of the game.


 
Head Coach Anthony Crocitto's thoughts on the game against Florida Southern:
"We need to manage leads better, build leads better, and play a full 40 minutes"

"We've now started games successfully for three straight contests, and haven't been able to manage 40 minutes"

"Our defense broke down as we exerted energy clawing back and that hurt our efforts in the last ten minutes"

"Taydra Simpson continues to improve nightly and is blossoming into a star"

"We have some character revealing and strength building contests coming up. We hope to see everyone at Bowman when we return home for Nova Southeastern on January 20. Go Lions"  
 

The Lions hit the road for the next two games making stops at Palm Beach Atlantic (Jan. 13) and Embry-Riddle (Jan. 17.)

For the latest news, updates, and information on Saint Leo Women's Basketball, 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.