Box Score
Fifth-ranked Nova Southeastern University led wire-to-wire and outscored Pitt-Johnstown 58-18 in the paint en route to dealing the Lady Cats a 94-62 loss to open the Nova Southeastern Thanksgiving Classic, Friday evening in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.Â
Leah Hansen and
Jasmine Harper each scored 12 points to pace Pitt-Johnstown, now 1-4 on the year.
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Pitt-Johnstown finishes the Nova Southeastern Classic on Saturday against Florida Tech at 2 p.m.
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Three-pointers from
Kayla DeCriscio and
Leah Hansen cut an early Pitt-Johnstown deficit to 8-6, but Nova Southeastern took control by outscoring the Lady Cats 40-4 in the paint in the first half to build a 21-point advantage.
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After the Lady Cats pulled to within two, the Sharks used a 22-8 run over the next 5:11 to go in front 30-14 on a pair of Molly Blomer free-throws at 11:56.
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Kelsey Sleighter connected on two 3-pointers to get the Lady Cats' to within 11 at 41-30 five minutes later, but Nova Southeastern outscored Pitt-Johnstown 13-3 the rest of the half to take a 54-33 halftime advantage.
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Hansen scored Pitt-Johnstown's first seven points of the second half to narrow the gap to 58-40, but a 10 run by the Sharks, capped by Alexis Murphy's basket in the paint extended the lead to 68-40 with 14:29 to play.
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Harper's free-throws at the 7:31 mark made it a 20-point game, but the highly-ranked Sharks were just too much and Nova Southeastern coasting to the 32-point victory.
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Hansen scored 12 points and Harper added 12 points and five rebounds to pace Pitt-Johnstown.Â
Nicole Carman chipped-in nine points and Sleighter had eight points. The Lady Cats also got five points and a team-high six rebounds off the bench from
Inaya Stephenson.
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The Lady Cats were held to just 28.6% (18-63) shooting from the field and just 7-26 from 3-point range. The Lady Cats connected on 19-23 from the free-throw line. Nova Southeastern, which forced 29 Pitt-Johnstown turnovers, shot 51.6% (33-63) from the field and made 25-35 from the charity stripe.
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Taylor Bluie poured in a game-high 23 points, while Jasmine Wilkins had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead five Sharks who scored in double figures.
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Nova Southeastern remained unbeaten and improved to 5-0.
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Following the Thanksgiving Classic the Lady Cats travel to Clarion on Wednesday for a PSAC game, before returning home to close out the first semester with three straight conference doubleheaders with the Mountain Cats beginning with Slippery Rock on December 7 at 1 p.m.
