The Lady Bisons played their best defensive game of the year but came out short against number one, Florida Gulf Coast University.
The beginning of the game was a slow start for both teams offensively, but ultimately the Bisons jumped out on top leading by as many as ten in the first half. What started as a pretty even game at the half slowly tilted in favor of the Eagles landing the final score at 67-85.
“We didn’t come out with the same defensive intensity and they knocked down some shots and made us pay for it,” said junior Ashley Southern who marked her 15 double-double of the year.
The women were not only up against the number one team in the conference but the number nine team in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 9.2. The Bisons gave up 13 of them to FGCU in their 38 attempts.
Junior Sara Bliss came out aggressive in her role with six rebounds, three assists and multiple tips. Bliss fought hard for balls forcing at least two jump balls.
“I’m definitely a shooter, they tell me to shoot it all the time, but as one of the older players with more experience, I need to bring the leadership asset to the game as well,” Bliss said.
Bliss, Southern, Danay Fothergill, Kelli Smith and Chandler Cooper were the starters for the Bison and accounted for all but four points. Lipscomb’s bench, however limited, added only four points to the board compared to 27 off of the Eagle’s bench.
The leading scorer of the game was Fothergill who also sunk 10 out of her 12 free throw attempts.
In her second game back, Cooper scored 16 points making four out of nine 3-pointers. Cooper was a threat from pretty deep past the 3-point line, sinking two of her 3’s from at least two feet behind the line.
“Overall, coach said it was our best defensive game, even though we still lost by 20 but execution wise we were in spots that we haven’t been in in previous games, so that was good,” Bliss said.
The Lady Bisons are back in action Saturday at 4 p.m. against another top team, Stetson. The team hopes to come out with high defensive intensity and confidence in each other.
“Making sure that we know that our teammates have our back,” Bliss said. “You don’t have to do it all on your own, your teammates are there for you.”