LAKELAND, Fla. - Arriyana Bracero's late jumper sends the Florida Southern College women's basketball into overtime to rally for a 73-70 win over Lewis University in the final game of the Century Retail Christmas Classic on Saturday afternoon.
The Moccasins (7-3, 0-3 SSC) and Flyers (6-5, 5-0 GLVC) saw a total of six ties and eight lead changes, all coming in the second half of action.
Bracero earned a new career-high of 20 points to lead the Mocs, while
Sarah Lange finished with her first double-double of the year (13 points and 10 rebounds). To finish out the double-digit scoring,
Marissa Jenike and
Sydney Gomes both came away with 10 points a piece.
FSC got out to an early 8-2 lead before the first media timeout, going on a 6-0 run before Lewis scored. Lange scored three from a second-chance layup and a free throw, and
Arielle Dabu sank a three at 6:08 to give the Mocs a 6-0 advantage.
Florida Southern continued to put on the pressure with back-to-back 3-pointers from
Reagan White and Jenike, keeping the Flyers down by 12 with a 14-2 advantage with under four remaining in the first quarter.
The Mocs continued to increase their lead, getting as much as a 19-point lead as Bracero sank a second-chance stepback 3-point jumper with under a minute remaining. Bracero would end the quarter with a driving layup and close out the quarter with a 25-7 advantage.
The second quarter opened with the Flyers cutting into the Mocs lead, getting as close as 14-points, 28-14. Jenike hit a jumper that gave FSC back an 18-point lead, but Lewis continued to add pressure, getting the score just under 10 with Hilber's made free throws. Jenike answered back with a shot beyond the arc at 1:05 giving FSC the 37-25 advantage. With three seconds left in the quarter, the Flyers got within 10 to head into the locker room with a 37-27 deficit.
The Flyers came out of halftime with fire as Hilber scored 15 points to take a 51-50 lead for Lewis over the Mocs.
The Flyers increased their lead to 54-50 after another Hilber 3-pointer and a made free throw before Mocs' Gomes answered back with a 3-pointer of her own to come within two and make it 55-53 with just under eight left.
Lewis got back out to another five-point lead, but this time Bracero got the Mocs within two on a 3-pointer to make it 58-56 with just over six in the game. FSC kept trying to close in on Lewis' lead until they finally came within one when Dabu hit a three to make it 62-61 in just under a minute. A second-chance free throw from the Flyers gave them a 63-61 advantage, but a game-tying jumper by Bracero would send the game into overtime with a 63-63 score after four quarters.
The overtime rally went to the Mocs, scoring 60% from the field and 50% from both the three and line that sealed the fate. Lewis opened up the scoring as Hilber scored to go up two, but Bracero shots continued to fall as the point guard gave the Mocs the first lead since early in the third quarter. With 3:30 left, the Flyers tied it up at 66-all and then took a lead on made free throws. Lange hit a jumper in the paint to go up 68-67 with three minutes on the clock.
It was tied for the final time on a Lewis free throw, but a driving layup by Gomes allowed the Mocs to go back up by two. With a 70-68 advantage, FSC increased its lead by two more with Dabu free throws. A second-chance layup allowed the Flyers to come within two, but Gomes sealed Lewis fate, making it a 73-70 final with a free throw.
The Mocs return to action on Dec. 30 as they return to Sunshine State Conference play as they host Palm Beach Atlantic in Jenkins Field House. The tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
