Northwest Florida State cruises past Lady Eagles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 15, 2013) – FCSAA No. 2 Northwest Florida State College never trailed on Tuesday evening, defeating No. 4 Tallahassee Community College, 68-41, at the Bill Hebrock Eagledome in Panhandle Conference women's basketball action. 

The loss dropped Tallahassee (11-6) to 0-3 in league play while Northwest Florida State (18-1, 3-1) moved within a half game of idle Gulf Coast State College in the PC standings. 

Northwest Florida State wasted no time jumping on the host Lady Eagles. The Raiders led 8-0 a little more than two minutes into the game and eventually built a 17-3 advantage before Tallahassee began to make a move. 

A basket by Aiyannah Peal started a 14-3 run by Tallahassee. Aariel Allen ended the surge with a basket at the 9:37 mark that pulled the Lady Eagles within three (20-17). 

That turned out to be as close as Tallahassee would get.

Northwest Florida State closed the half on a 12-5 run and carried a 32-22 lead to the locker room. 

Tallahassee scored the first two points of the second half, courtesy of a pair of free throws by Yanique Gordon, but Northwest Florida State followed with a decisive 25-4 run to grab control of the game. 

The Raiders outscored Tallahassee in the second half, 36-19, limiting the Lady Eagles to just 17.1 percent (6-of-35) shooting from the floor. 

Ten different players scored for Tallahassee, though none reached double-figures. Jeraldine Campbell led the way with eight points. 

Kiani Parker led Northwest Florida State with 15 points. 

Tallahassee will try to get into the winner's column on Saturday evening when it travels to Pensacola State College for a 6:30 p.m. tip against the Pirates. The game will be carried by Panhandle Sports Broadcasting at www.PSBlive.com.