ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA – The University of South Carolina Beaufort women's basketball team hit the road to face the Flagler College Saints on Wednesday evening. After Flagler forced overtime with a basket in the closing seconds of regulation, the Saints opened the extra period with the first five points and held on for a 75-72 victory over USCB.
The Sand Sharks move to 16-9 overall and 13-5 in Peach Belt Conference play. Flagler improves to 10-15 on the season and 5-12 in conference action.
Lydia Gattozzi led USCB with 21 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. She was one of three Sand Sharks in double figures, joined by Janiyah Heyward with 17 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Taniyah Bowman added 13 points, while Samantha Bardonaro scored eight points and had a team-high five assists.
The opening half was a defensive battle. Heyward set the tone on the first possession with a steal, and she opened the scoring just over a minute into the game on a layup off a rebound, assisted by Bardonaro. The Sand Sharks scored the first eight points of the contest, six coming from Heyward. Flagler got on the board at the 6:21 mark of the first quarter and later used a 9-0 run over the final three minutes to take a 15-10 lead into the second quarter. Gattozzi and Heyward combined for all 10 first-quarter points for USCB.
Flagler extended its run with the first basket of the second quarter before Gattozzi stopped the run with a free throw. In a strong defensive stretch, the teams combined for just five points in the first five minutes of the period. The Sand Sharks held Flagler to 1-of-5 shooting while forcing three turnovers. Baskets from Bardonaro, Bowman, and Gattozzi pulled USCB within one possession at 19-17. The Saints followed later in the quarter on a 6-1 run, but a late bucket from Heyward sent the Sand Sharks into halftime trailing 25-20. Heyward and Gattozzi each had eight first-half points, and USCB forced 10 Flagler turnovers in the half.
Heyward opened the third quarter with a basket just 15 seconds in, assisted by Bri Pelote. After a Flagler score, the Sand Sharks went on an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead. Gattozzi converted a three-point play and then knocked down a three-pointer, assisted by Bardonaro, to give USCB a 30-27 advantage. The Sand Sharks shot a perfect 3-for-3 during the run while holding the Saints scoreless.
Later in the quarter, Kay'Mar Griffin added a jumper as part of a 12-2 run that put USCB ahead by five with five minutes remaining. Flagler tied the game at 38-38 with a three-pointer, but Bardonaro responded with a triple of her own. After the Saints regained the lead late in the period, Izellah Kendrick converted a layup in the closing seconds off an assist from Bowman to give the Sand Sharks a 45-44 lead heading into the fourth.
Flagler opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer off a steal and scored the first six points of the period before Courtney Campbell got USCB on the board with a three-point play. Trailing 50-45, the Sand Sharks answered with six straight points, including a three from Heyward, to retake the lead. Flagler responded with five consecutive points to go back in front, 55-51, with four minutes to play.
Gattozzi scored her 20th point on a putback to give USCB a 60-59 edge, and Bardonaro added to make the score 63-61 with 26 seconds left. However, Flagler tied the game with 15 seconds remaining to send it to overtime at 63-63. The Sand Sharks shot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the field in the second half.
In overtime, the Saints struck first with a layup and scored the first five points of the extra period. Bowman started the Sand Sharks scoring with a steal and fast-break layup, scoring the first six overtime points for USCB to cut the deficit to 70-69. After another Flagler basket, Heyward added two points to make it 72-71, but the Saints sealed the win at the free-throw line for the 75-72 final.
USCB returns home Saturday for its final regular-season home game and Senior Day, hosting Clayton State University at 5:30 p.m.
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