Winners of its last two, Rollins travels to Florida Southern
Saturday to put a cap on the regular season and gather momentum
heading into the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Head Coach
Glenn Wilkes Jr. is sitting on 598 career victories and the Tars
will look to get their mentor one step closer to a historic
milestone. The Mocs have stumbled to the finish line of the season,
dropping eight of their last 10. Records, however, can be thrown
out the window when rivals meet on Senior Day. Fans can listen to
all the action live on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com
and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
ROLLINS AT A GLANCE: The Tars (17-8, 8-7 SSC)
can climb to third place in the SSC standings depending on their
outcome against the Mocs and the result of Eckerd against Lynn.
Rollins has won two in a row and three of its last five heading to
Lakeland. Against Barry on its own Senior Day, Rollins led by 19
but had to hold off the Bucs at the end, winning 55-49. Sarah
Taylor was the only Tar in double figures, tallying 16 points to go
along with seven rebounds. Tonya Aaron netted nine while Ashley
Jones and Sarah Blackburn each chipped in eight.
Jones continues to be the lone Rollins scorer averaging in
double figures, scoring 10.8 a game. After a huge 3-pointer in the
finals seconds against Barry, she has now hit a triple in
20-consecutive games. Jones' 50 on the season ranks fourth in the
SSC. Blackburn scores 9.8 points a game while leading the team and
ranking third in the conference with 6.9 rebounds a night. Ashley
Losch and Taylor each net eight points a game. Tera McDaniel needs
four more assist to reach 100 and has also tallied 50 steals.
Rollins is fifth in the SSC in offense, lighting up the
scoreboard for 62.6 points per game. On the other end of the court,
the Tars are second, surrendering 54.2 points a night. Rollins tops
the SSC in offensive rebounds (41 orpg), leads in blocks (4.2 bpg)
and is third in steals (9.7 spg).
The Tars are 4-4 away from home on the season, including a 3-4
mark in the conference.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE: The Moccasins
(10-15, 4-11 SSC) are finishing up a rebuilding year and will
compete in the SSC First Round game regardless of Saturday's
outcome. FSC is coming off a heartbreaking 49-45 loss at Tampa on
Wednesday. Melanie Ducott played all 40 minutes and poured in 25
points to lead the Mocs. She was 9-of-14 from the field and hit
5-of-10 from 3-point range. Kirstin McIntyre added 15 points and
eight rebounds.
McIntyre averages 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds a nigh to lead
Southern. Taylor Maldanado was averaging 11.4 points before being
sidelined due to injury earlier in the year. Tracy Fosterling adds
8.3 points and 5.7 boards a game.
The Mocs are ninth in the conference in offense with 54.9 points
a night while surrendering a conference fifth-best 58.6 points on
the other end. FSC is at the bottom of the SSC in free throw
shooting (66 percent) and 3-point shooting (27 percent). They are
the top team on the glass out rebounding teams by five a game.
Southern is 6-5 in the Jenkins Field House on the season,
including a 3-4 record against conference teams.
LAST MEETING: January 30 - Rollins 81, Fla. Southern
53 - Rollins recovered from its loss at Saint Leo in a big
way, thumping rival Florida Southern 81-53 in Warden Arena. The
Tars were in control the entire night, never trailing and facing
just two ties. Ashley Losch led five Tars in double figures with 17
points. Tera McDaniel produced the best game of her senior season
with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists to just two
turnovers. Emmalee Schill netted 12 while Sarah Blackburn and
Ashley Jones each tallied 10 points. Kirstin McIntyre paced the
Mocs with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Melanie Ducott chipped in 12
points.
THE SERIES: Rollins trails the all-time series
against FSC 45-39. The Tars last trip to Lakeland was a 71-68 win
over the Mocs in the 2012 SSC Championship game.
THE COACHES: Glenn Wilkes Jr. (Stetson '81) is
in his 27th year leading the Tars and owns a career record of
598-197. He has the fifth-most victories among active Division II
coaches and has racked up the 10th most all-time. Wilkes' winning
percentage is the 13th-best in the history of Division
II...Holly Borchers (Creighton '97) is in her first season leading
the Mocs after previously serving as the top assistant the last six
years.
