DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Double-digit scoring performances by
Nikki Tucker and
Liz Behan propelled the Embry-Riddle women's basketball team to a 58-45 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic (5-11, 2-7) in Sunshine State Conference play at the ICI Center on Saturday. The Eagles are now 6-10 overall and 4-5 in league play.
Tucker finished with a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds, while Behan was just one point away from matching her career-best with 14 points and five boards.
The Eagles shared the ball well with 14 assists on 21 made field goals. They also outrebounded the visitors 42-31, including a 16-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
Both teams started slowly in Saturday's game, combining for just five points through the first six minutes of the contest. But the Eagles started to heat up late in the first period going on a 10-2 run to take a 14-5 lead into the second frame.
Both teams improved offensively, in a 33-point second quarter. Shekinah Guthrie scored the first basket of the quarter, but Tucker answered with two of her 13 second-quarter points. That score triggered a 7-0 spurt that increased the Eagle cushion to 13 (20-7) and at the half, ERAU led 31-21.
Through the first five minutes of the third quarter, the ERAU defense held the Sailfish to just one point. On the other side of the ball, the Blue and Gold connected on four field goal attempts, including a trey from
Madyson Jean-Louis to widen the gap to 41-22, and with 7:35 left in the game, Behan's three-point play gave the Eagles their largest lead of the night, 51-31.
The Sailfish narrowly outscored the Eagles 16-12 in the fourth, but it was not enough to cut the deficit, giving the Eagles their third win in the ICI Center this season.
Guthrie was the high scorer for the Sailfish, finishing with 10 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
The Eagles' next game will be in Boca Raton at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday when they take on Lynn in another SSC match-up.
The Embry-Riddle women's basketball season is presented by Daytona Mitsubishi.
