Spartans Repeat as SSC Champs in Overtime Thriller

BOCA RATON, Fla. - It took 45 hard fought minutes for the University of Tampa (23-7) women's basketball team to accomplish the same feat as last season in winning the Sunshine State Conference tournament. Similar to last season, Rollins College (24-6) was the victim as the Spartans took a 68-66 overtime victory for the program's third SSC tourney title.

"This was a game between two great teams and it came down to who had the ball last," says Tampa Head Coach Tom Jessee. "It was tough to advance to this game, but even tougher to defend it."

The Spartans went on a first-half rally following a 12-12 tie as they went on an 11-0 run to turn the game in their favor. Rollins made the final run of the half as they cut a 29-17 Tampa lead at 5:12 to four as the teams went to the half with a 29-25 Spartan advantage.

The game stayed close throughout the second half, though the Spartans held the lead from the 15:34 point until Rollins regained the advantage with 5:20 to play. The Tars took a 57-54 lead on a Larissa McDonough three-pointer 3:18 on the clock, though Tampa evened the score following a pair of free throws by Sheena Walton and one by Erica Woodard.

With the score 57-57 with under a minute remaining in regulation, Rollins' Jennifer Dyer connected on a three-pointer to give the Tars a three-point lead. The Spartans failed to connect on their next possession as DeShaydia Mackey missed a three-pointer . Following a missed free throw by Jennifer Musgrove, Mackey earned redemption with a three-pointer to move the score to 60-60 and send the game to overtime.

The Spartans came out ready to play in overtime as they stopped the first four Rollins possessions while scoring the first six points of the half on an Alexa Kane jumper and free throws by Mackey and Sheena Walton. Rollins proceeded to go on a 6-0 run of their own beginning at the 2:36 mark and ending with a game-tying three-pointer by Musgrove with 15 seconds on the clock.

With the final possession of overtime, Tampa head coach Tom Jessee used a 30-second timeout to script a play with nine-seconds remaining. The Spartans chose Mackey as the beneficiary as she drove to the basket, connecting on a game-winning bank shot as time expired.

"Coach told me to take the ball," says Mackey. "I was going to the basket not looking for a jumper. I knew when I went up that the bank shot was open. I knew that I would get a shot or get fouled."

Kane, the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, was one of a group of Spartans to have a career performance as she netted a new career high of 21 points on 9-13 shooting. She also added eight rebounds, two assists and three steals while joining Mackey as the lone Spartans to play all 45 minutes.

"I share this award with my entire team," says Kane. "This was a great game and an amazing accomplishment for our team."

Mackey, who was named to the all-tournament team, scored 16 points to go with a team high four assists and three steals. While making the two biggest baskets of the game, Mackey also hit two three-pointers and grabbed four rebounds.

"Shay made a great shot to win it," says Jessee. "But it was an even bigger shot to send the game to overtime."

Walton was also part of the all-tournament team as she set a new career high with 12 blocks, which also broke the school record of 10 that was set by Jessie McDowell on January 11, 2003. Walton, who set a previous career high with nine blocks in last year's SSC tourney final against Rollins, also scored 12 points and came two rebounds shy of a triple-double for the Spartans.

"That is just the way I play defense," says Walton. We are taught to stand straight up, but when the ball is in my face I am going for it."

With the victory, Tampa will make their fifth NCAA tournament appearance as they have now made the tourney in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history as three of the five appearances have been under Jessee at the helm. The NCAA South Regional is slated to begin on Thursday, March 10.

"We need to feel like we can go into the regional and earn some respect," says Jessee. "We are comfortable in the conference tournament, but we now need to take the next step."

The NCAA II selection show is scheduled for tonight at 10:30 p.m. It may be viewed online by visiting www.ncaasports.com/dii or www.ncaasports.com. The show will also reveal the location of the South Regional as they are at campus sites.