Tampa Women's Basketball Wins Second Straight NCAA South Regional

VALDOSTA, Ga. - The University of Tampa women's basketball team has secured a spot in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, taking the South Region championship with a 63-56 win over Nova Southeastern University.

This win advances Tampa's impressive season record to 31-6, continuing the second straight 30-plus win season for head coach Tom Jessee. Nova Southeastern concludes the season at 25-6.

The game started with Nova Southeastern establishing an early lead, outscoring Tampa 14-6 in the first quarter. However, Tampa began to claw back in the second quarter, reducing the deficit to four points by halftime after ending the second quarter on an 8-0 run.

The real turning point came in the third quarter, where Tampa outscored Nova Southeastern by six points, taking the lead as the Spartans scored seven straight points to close out the quarter. Tampa maintained their momentum in the fourth quarter, outscoring Nova Southeastern 18-13 to secure the victory.

Zoe Piller was the standout performer for Tampa, dominating both ends of the court. She scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading her team in both categories. Kath Van Bennekom also made significant contributions with 15 points and 6 rebounds, while Mya Giusto facilitated the offense with 6 assists, alongside scoring 7 points.

The game's statistics highlight Tampa's effective shooting, with the team making 50% of their field goal attempts compared to Nova Southeastern's 37.7%. Tampa also outrebounded Nova Southeastern, grabbing 34 rebounds to Nova Southeastern's 21, which was crucial in securing their victory.

UT will now advance to the NCAA National Quarterfinals.

2024 DII Women's Basketball Elite Eight Schedule

• Quarterfinal games
  • March 25 at St. Joseph Civic Center in St. Joseph, MO
• Semifinals games
  • March 27 at St. Joseph Civic Center in St. Joseph, MO
• Championship game
  • March 29 at St. Joseph Civic Center in St. Joseph, MO on CBS Sports Network