Tampa Takes North Star Invite With Third Victory of Alaska Trip
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The No. 14 University of Tampa women's basketball team finished their play in Alaska at the Mt. McKinley Bank North Star Invitational with a win against Northwood University.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: No. 14 University of Tampa Spartans 61, Northwood University 49
Records: Tampa (7-2), Northwood (5-1)
Location: Alaska Airlines Gymnasium || Fairbanks, Alaska
All-Time Series: The two teams have met once before with the Spartans earning the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st QUARTER
The first quarter opened up with a battle between the two teams. The first few minutes went scoreless before Northwood opened the scoring. The Spartans defense played well through the first half of the quarter, earning the possession of a couple defensive rebounds. Senior Kayla Bonilla opened the scoring for the Spartans, getting the team within two points of the Timberwolves. Melijah Sullivan scored a layup and tied the game at six points with 4:13 left in the quarter. The Spartans offense found their rhythm and would earn the lead headed into the second quarter. || Score: 17-13 Tampa
2nd QUARTER
The Spartans had offensive possession to begin the second quarter. Senior Danielle Delano opened up the scoring for the Spartans in the second 10 minutes, making a layup. The Spartans offense continued to find the back of the net, which caused a seven-point lead to build over the Timberwolves with 5:45 left in the half. The Timberwolves came back with some points of their own, but the Spartans defense would prove too much to handle. LaShayla Wright-Ponder led the Spartans in points before the half, with a total of eight points scored. || Score: 31-27 Tampa
3rd QUARTER
This quarter opened up similarly to the second, with the Spartans on the offensive attack in the early minutes. Dori Nagy got the Spartans offense started, scoring first for Tampa after the half. With 6:07 left in the quarter, the Spartans built a 10-point lead which caused the Timberwolves to call a timeout. The Spartans continued their excellent play on both sides of the ball, and would head into the final 10 minutes with the lead. || Score: 47-33 Tampa
4th QUARTER
The Spartans scored first in the final quarter, with Nagy making a free throw. The Spartans offense continued to roll, and the Timberwolves' defense could not find an answer. The Spartans would end up winning the game and remain undefeated on their trip to Alaska. || Final: 61-49 Tampa
INSIDE THE STATS
- Sullivan lead the Spartans in points, scoring 12 in the game.
- Bonilla lead the Spartans in assists in tonight's contest, logging 4.
- Danielle Delano lead the Spartans in steals in tonight's game, with 3.
BEYOND THE BOX
- Today's result marks the Spartans' seventh straight win.
NEXT UP: The Spartans return home to Bob Martinez Athletic Center and host Lynn University on Saturday, December 4th at 2:00 p.m.
GAMEDAY MULTIMEDIA: Fans may watch all home games and Sunshine State Conference contests on TampaSpartans.tv. Live stats are also available through TampaStats.com. Follow UT Athletics: @TampaSpartans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Text Alerts: UT also offers a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.