Second half surge sends Gulf Coast State past Lady Eagles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 16, 2013) – FCSAA No. 3 Gulf Coast State College scored 55 second-half points en route to a 78-64 win over No. 5 Tallahassee Community College on Saturday evening in Panhandle Conference basketball action.

Prior to Saturday's game, TCC Athletics recognized its outgoing sophomore class – Natasha Ballard, Alexis Grant, Jeraldine Campbell, Yanique Gordon, Raisa West and Sarah Williams – along with freshman Sofia da Silva, who only had one year of NJCAA eligibility. 

Tallahassee dropped to 14-10 overall, 3-7 in PC play and will finish in fourth place in the league standings, regardless of what happens during the final week of the regular season. The stakes will be much higher for Gulf Coast State (23-4, 8-3), who maintained a share of the PC lead with the victory. 

For 20-plus minutes, Tallahassee appeared poised to pull the upset. 

Ballard hit a running one-hander from beyond the arc as time expired in the first half to give Tallahassee a 37-23 lead. The shot capped a 17-2 run to end the first half. 

Tallahassee still enjoyed a double-digit lead, 46-35, when Karley Barnes connected in the paint with 15:02 left in the game. 

Gulf Coast State's Tamara Taylor hit three consecutive three-pointer to cap a 17-6 run and give the Lady Commodores a 52-51 lead just before the midway point of the second half. 

Later, Taylor broke a 55-all tie with a pair of free throws and Gulf Coast State never trailed again. 

Taylor finished with 31 points and hit seven of the Lady Commodores' 11 three-pointers. 

Jeraldine Campbell led Tallahassee with 13 points and Ballard added 10. 

The Lady Eagles will play their final home game of the season on Tuesday when they host Northwest Florida State College at 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried by Panhandle Sports Broadcasting at www.PSBlive.com.