Matchup:
No. 17 Rollins (19-4, 10-3 SSC) at Tampa (14-9, 7-6
SSC)
When:
Saturday, February 21, 2015 - 2 p.m.
Where:
Bob Martinez Center - Tampa, Florida
A pair of Rollins losses has created a logjam atop the Sunshine
State Conference standings with the Tars a half game out of first
heading into a huge game at Tampa on Saturday. Rollins is looking
for a bounce back game after falling to Nova Southeastern on
Wednesday and still controls its own destiny for the SSC title. UT
has also lost its last two and is fighting for a spot in the NCAA
tournament. Rollins checked in at No. 3 in the first NCAA regional
poll while UT is No. 10. Fans can follow all the action live on the
Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5
FM WPRK.
ROLLINS AT A GLANCE: The Tars have suffered
back-to-back losses for the first time since Feb. 2013, falling to
Nova Southeastern on the road Wednesday, 65-57. The score was tied
at 52 with 4:46 to play but Rollins didn't have an answer for a
late NSU run. Julia
Ingler led the way for the Tars with 13 points while Sarah
Taylor added 12 points and seven rebounds. Ashley
Losch posted a double-double with 11 points and 11
rebounds.
Emmalee
Schill leads the Tars season box score with 11.7 points a game
while also hauling in 6.6 rebounds a night. Losch is scoring 11.3 a
game and ranks fourth in the league with 7.3 rebounds a night while
Taylor is getting 10.1 points and 5.7 boards a game. Tanaya
Jones ranks is ninth in the SSC in assists (3.3 apg) and fourth
in steals (2.2 spg) while Julia
Ingler is seventh in 3-point shooting, hitting 39-of-104 from
long range.
The Tars lead the conference in defense, allowing just 54.7
points a game while scoring 67 a night on the other end. Rollins is
also the top-rebounding team with a +6.2 margin a game.
Glenn Wilkes
Jr. (Stetson '81) is in his 29th year leading the Tars and owns
a career record of 647-210. He is the eighth-winningest active
coach in Division II and has the fourth most victories. All-time in
Division II, Wilkes ranks as the 13th winningest and ninth in total
victories.
TAMPA AT A GLANCE: The Spartans were picked to
win the conference in the preseason and ranked as high as No. 5 in
the national rankings early in the year. UT stands fifth in the
league standings with three games left in the regular season. The
Spartans fell to Saint Leo on the road Wednesday, 63-61. Juliana
Cavallaro and Aisha Rodney each scored 22 points to lead UT.
Cavallaro is the third-leading scorer in the SSC with 16 points
a game while also averaging 5.7 rebounds a night. Rodney is ninth
in the conference with 12.1 points a game and adds 5.3 rebounds a
night. Ellen Nurmi averages 3.4 assists a game.
The Spartans have the second-ranked defense in the conference,
right behind the Tars at 55.9 points a game. UT is averaging 61.9
points of offense a game.
Tom Jessee (Bluefield State '88) is in his 13th-season at Tampa
and carries a 252-113 record at the helm.
THE SERIES: Tampa is one of the Tars oldest
rivals with Rollins leading the all-time series 52-39. Rollins is
17-18 all-time in Tampa. They last met on Jan. 24 in Winter Park; a
63-46 Rollins victory. UT led 46-44 with 9:31 to play, but the Tars
outscored the Spartans 19-0 the rest of the way to score the win.
Emmalee
Schill led Rollins with 17 points while Ashley
Losch netted 15. Sarah
Taylor scored eight and passed 1,000 for her career. Juliana
Cavallaro was the only Spartan in double-figures with 17 points.
Aisha Rodney and Ellen Nurmi each scored six.
NEXT UP FOR ROLLINS: The Tars welcome two old
foes to Winter Park next week for the final two games of the
regular season. Rollins hosts Florida Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at
5:30 p.m. The outcome will have huge ramifications in the race for
a conference title and NCAA regional seeding. The Tars then close
their schedule against Florida Southern at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb.
28. Fans can follow all the action live on the Geico Tars Sports
Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
