Mindy TuckerThe University of Tampa women’s basketball team won their eighth straight game, then had their streak broken two days later this past week.
The Lady Spartans dominated the boards last Tuesday night as they defeated rival Florida Southern 80-69 in front on 143 fans inside the Bob Martinez Center.
Erica Woodard had a career-high 22 points and a game-high 11 reboundsin the victory.
UT, down two at intermission, started the second half on a 15-7 run and pulled away at the 5:36 mark going ahead 66-59.
“I don’t think I can say what coach said to us during halftime,” Woodard said. “But it worked.”
Free throw shooting and rebounding were critical down the stretch as the Spartans took command of the game. UT finished with 35 free throw attempts and out-rebounded Florida Southern 41-20.
“This is the best game we have played on the road, but you don’t win games when the other team makes more free throws than you attempt,” Mocs coach Jarrod Olson said. “They kicked our butts on the glass.”
Florida Southern got off to a quick start beginning the game on a 14-7 run. Mocs forward Willamina Folks scored 14 points on 7-of-8 shots in the first half, but Tampa found itself down by just two points heading into the break.
Florida Southern shot 61 percent from the field in the first half, but Tampa was able to stay in the game after hitting 14-of-20 free throws in the game’s first 20 minutes.
Folks had a game-high 25 points in 31 minutes despite getting into foul trouble in the first half.
Sheena Walton had a double-double for the Spartans scoring 19 and grabbing 10 rebounds. Walton took just seven shots from the field, but finished 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Forward Alexa Kane scored 17 points in 36 minutes.
Tampa shot 71 percent from the floor in the second half as the Mocs shot just 39 percent in the last 20 minutes.
“If you shoot 60 percent like they did in the first half you can beat the Lakers,” coach Tom Jessee said. “But we picked up the defense in the second half and got used to playing man-to-man even though we are primarily a zone team.”
The Spartans avenged an earlier season loss to the Mocs with the win on Tuesday. Florida Southern had dominated the series wining 48 of the previous 72 meetings.
After the big comeback win over rival Florida Southern the Lady Spartans traveled to Boca Raton on Saturday to take on the Lynn University Fighting Knights.
Lynn outplayed Tampa down the stretch ending the Spartans eight game winning streak with a 74-62 victory.
The Spartans kept the game close throughout. There were five ties and 10 lead changes but Lynn dominated the final five minutes of play. UT scored just four points in the last 4:38 as the Fighting Knights went on a 14-3 run to finish the game.
Tampa committed 21 turnovers in the game and shot 37 percent from the floor, 30 percent in the second half. Lynn shot 7-of-11 from 3-point range and had four players score in double figures.
Walton had 15 points, Brittany Ridley had 11 points and Kane recorded 10 points and six assists in the loss.
The Spartans return to action on Feb. 24 as they take on Nova Southeastern in the team’s final regular season game. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Bob Martinez Center.