MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (February 21, 2009) –
Rollins wasn't able to fully recover from a stagnant first half
as the No. 18 Tars were upset by Barry 57-47 in Miami on
Saturday.
Rollins (21-4, 11-4 SSC) came into the game needing a win to secure
at least a share of the Sunshine State Conference regular season
title, but will not have to wait a week for their season finale at
Eckerd.
Jessica
Pressley led Rollins with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
Jasmine
Bradley and Paris
Moore each added nine with Moore also dishing out six assists
and nabbing four steals.
Princess Bailey led the Buccaneers (15-10, 6-8 SSC) with 15 points
and eight rebounds. Mariesa Greene and Shanna Suttington each
chipped in 11 with Green gathering a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Tars shot just 18 percent (5-28) in the first half to fall into
a 26-15 halftime deficit. The offense got on track in the second
period, shooting 38 percent (11-29), but Rollins was never able to
fully recover from the rough first half.
Barry shot 31 percent (14-45) for the game and out rebounded
Rollins 45-24 on the night.
The two teams traded baskets for the first four minutes with a Rachael
Malatesta 3-pointer putting Rollins up 5-4. Things then went
sour for the Tars as Barry rattled off a 9-0 run over the next
seven minutes to take a 13-5 lead. Rollins would go 10 total
minutes without a field goal, but the defense kept it close as a Brittainy
Daiger layup with six minutes left in the half made the score
15-9 in favor of the Bucs.
Rollins was down by as much as 13 twice in the first frame before
going into intermission in a 26-15 hole.
Barry pushed their advantage to 12 early in the second half before
the Tars began to chip away, using a 9-0 run to pull to within two,
37-25 with nine minutes left. The Bucs then dashed Rollins' hopes
of a comeback by posting an 11-2 spurt over the next five minutes
to go up 48-37.
Pressley connected from long range with less than a minute to play
and pulled the Tars to within five, 52-47, but Barry hit 5-of-6
from the stripe down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Rollins takes a step back from league play on Wednesday, Feb. 25,
hosting Palm Beach Atlantic at 7 p.m. The Tars will then go for the
SSC title on Saturday, Feb. 28 in St. Petersburg against
Eckerd.
Fans can catch all the games live on the Citizens Bank of Florida
Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com.
