MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Down seven points with just over a minute remaining, the Embry-Riddle women's basketball team rallied to pull within two points of Barry, but were unable to get any closer, falling to the Bucs 63-59 in Sunshine State Conference play on Wednesday. The Eagles are now 8-10 overall and 3-9 in the league, while the Bucs move to 11-9 and 5-6 in the SSC.
Jenna Teterycz and
Madyson Jean-Louis totaled 13 points apiece for the Eagles.
Kelli Thomas pulled down a season-high seven rebounds while
Keturah Balabyekkubo registered a game-high four steals.
The Eagles went up 4-0 to start the game, but Barry countered and eventually tied the game at 6-6. At the 5:02 mark, Teterycz hit a jumper to start a 9-2 Eagle run that gave the Eagles an eight-point (18-10) advantage and at the end of the first quarter, the Eagles led 18-12.
The lead was still six (20-14) for Embry-Riddle at the 8:24 mark of the second period. A 7-2 run by the Bucs cut the ERAU lead to one (22-21). A three and a layup by Teterycz reclaimed the six-point advantage for the Eagles, but once again, Barry was able to answer and came back to tie the score at 28-28 at the half.
The third quarter saw the Eagles shoot 50 percent (8-of-16) from the field, but it was the Bucs who held a 20-19 scoring advantage in the frame. Once again, the Eagles were able to build a six-point lead (36-30), but once again, Barry battle back and with 2:45 left in the quarter, it was a one-point game with Embry-Riddle leading 45-44. At the 1:23 mark, Teterycz connected on a jumper to put the Eagles up 47-44, but Daisha Thornton came up with a pair of layups, a steal and a free throw in the final minute to give Barry a 48-47 edge going into the fourth.
It took 1:28 to record the first points of the fourth quarter and those came in the form of a Balabyekkubo layup that put the Eagles back in front by a point (49-48). The lead was short-lived, however, as Barry scored nine unanswered to take a 57-49 lead. At the 2:22 mark,
Rachel Murray hit a jumper that pulled the Eagles within three (57-54), but a pair of layups helped regain a seven-point (61-54) cushion for the home team.
Trailing by seven with 1:09 left to play, the Eagles got an offensive rebound and putback by Jean-Louis to make it 61-56. Following a series of misses at the free throw line by both teams, the Eagles got the ball to Jean-Louis again and the sophomore narrowed the gap to two (61-58) with 42 seconds left. The Bucs missed their shot on their next offensive trip and the Eagles secured the rebound and called a timeout with 19 seconds showing on the clock. ERAU was unable to execute the designed play, but instead turned the ball over and committed a foul, allowing Barry to seal the win at the free throw line.
The Eagles are back at the ICI Center on Saturday for a big test against a Top 25 foe. The Blue and Gold will host No. 9/11 Eckerd at 4 p.m.
The 2022-23 Embry-Riddle women's basketball season is presented by Daytona Mitsubishi.
