Lady Eagles drop heartbreaker despite Campbell’s 38

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (January 30, 2013) – Jeraldine Campbell scored a school-record 38 points but came up short on a game-tying shot in the final seconds and NJCAA No. 18/FCSAA No. 4 Tallahassee Community College dropped a heartbreaker to No. 9/No. 3 Gulf Coast State College, 77-75, on Wednesday evening in Panhandle Conference action.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Tallahassee (13-7), who falls to 2-4 in PC play. Gulf Coast State improved to 20-3 overall and retained a share of first-place in the PC standings at 5-2, along with Northwest Florida State College, who defeated Pensacola State College on Wednesday.

Campbell's 38-point effort eclipsed the previous record of 36, held by two different players. Jackie Hodnett first set the standard against Florida State College at Jacksonville on January 28, 1995 – the Lady Eagles' first season of play. Daniela Nopuente matched the mark on November 2, 2006, against Enterprise-Ozark (Ala.) Community College.

Campbell, who hit 15-of-28 shots from the floor, also set Tallahassee's single-game record for field goal attempts, breaking the previous record of 25, set on four different occasions. 

Trailing 76-68 with just over a minute remaining in the game, Tallahassee made a furious last-minute rally to give itself an opportunity to extend the game or possibly win. 

Yanique Gordon's jumper off the glass got Tallahassee within six (76-70). After Necole Sterling hit one of two from the line to push Gulf Coast State's lead back to seven, things got really interesting. 

Alexis Grant hit a jumper, then picked up a steal in the backcourt and found Campbell, who drained her fourth three-pointer of the evening, to pull Tallahassee within two. On Gulf Coast State's ensuring possession, Gordon forced a jump ball and with the possession arrow in its favor, Tallahassee suddenly had the ball down two. 

Tallahassee's final possession didn't initially get set up properly – still, the ball found its way into the hands of Campbell, who worked around a couple of screens and got a decent look on a runner down the right side. 

Despite the defeat, Tallahassee interim head coach Lamar Hamilton praised his team. 

"The effort was there," Hamilton said. "We stepped up when we faced adversity and gave ourselves a chance to win. Unfortunately, we just came up a bit short." 

Tallahassee – more specifically, Campbell – erased an eight-point deficit in the final minute of the first half. She scored eight unanswered points, including a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the teams to the locker room tied at 28. 

Grant joined Campbell in double-figures with 10 points. 

Tamara Taylor paced Gulf Coast State with 27.

Tallahassee will try to get back on the winning track on Saturday when it travels to Northwest Florida State for a 6:30 p.m. tilt against the Lady Raiders. 

The game will be carried by Panhandle Sports Broadcasting.