Lady Eagles survive Indian River State in OT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (December 1, 2012) - FCSAA No. 5 Tallahassee Community College survived a bizarre ending to regulation then outscored No. 10 Indian River State College, 8-2 in overtime, to claim a 59-53 win on Saturday's final day of play at the Florida College's Women's Basketball Shootout. 

The Lady Eagles have won four straight games for the second time this season to improve to 8-2. Hands down, Saturday's win over the Pioneers will go down as one of the strangest in some time for Tallahassee. 

Trailing 50-49, Tallahassee's Sofia da Silva hit the go-ahead basket with 0.4 seconds left, all but assuring the Lady Eagles of the victory. However, in the jubilation of da Silva's apparent game-winner, the Tallahassee bench was assessed a technical foul for entering the playing floor. 

With a chance to tie or perhaps win the game, Indian River State missed both free throws to keep the score 50-49. On the ensuing inbounds, da Silva fouled Arielle Gallon on a desperation attempt from the corner with 0.1 remaining. With another chance to tie or win the game, Gallon missed both attempts, but got a repreive when Tallahassee was called for a lane violation on the second shot. Finally, on a fifth attempt to tie the game in the final 0.4 seconds, Gallon connected to send the game to overtime tied at 51. 

Tallahassee regrouped and led wire to wire in the extra period. Alexis Grant connected on a field goal just 13 seconds into overtime then added another basket one minute later to give the Lady Eagles a 55-51 lead. Indian River State never got closer than three the rest of the way. 

Grant finished with 14 points. da Silva led Tallahassee with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Aiyannah Peal, who played all 45 minutes, finished with 10 points. 

Early on, a Tallahassee victory, much less overtime, seemed likely. 

The Lady Eagles trailed by as many as 14 in the first half and needed a little more than 32 minutes to take their first lead of the night. A pair of da Silva free throws gave Tallahassee a 43-42 lead with 7:39 left in the game, the first of seven lead changes over the final eight minutes. 

Tallahassee will travel to St. Petersburg College for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, December 7 then head east to Ft. Pierce for a rematch against Indian River State the following day.