Eagle women finish strong to defeat Daytona State

TALLHASSEE, Fla. (November 26, 2014) – In a battle of ranked teams in the FCSAA Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll, No. 3 Tallahassee Community College picked up a 65-54 win over No. 6 Daytona State College on day two action at the Capital Courtyard Classic. 

Tallahassee is now 8-1 on the season while Daytona State dropped its second straight game to fall to 8-3. 

En route to the victory, the Eagles overcame a dismal start and an early nine-point deficit. 

After misfiring on its first 15 shots, Tallahassee got on the board with Jeremica Edwards' basket at the 13:48 mark of the first half and, despite the cold start, the deficit was only 7-2. 

Daytona State eventually led 13-4 before the Eagles began to chip away. The first tie of the game occurred with 4:11 left in the half when Aryn Tarver knocked down a shot in the paint. Tallahassee grabbed its first lead of the game, 27-25, on Eboni Watts' three-pointer with 20 seconds left in the half. 

On the Falcons' ensuing possession, a blocked shot by Karley Barnes ignited a fast-break opportunity that ended with a basket by Edwards and a 29-25 lead at the intermission for the Eagles. 

The game remained nip-and-tuck through the first ten minutes of the second half before Tallahassee seized momentum with seven unanswered points in under a minute. 

Edwards started the blitz with a pair of free throws and the Eagles forced consecutive turnovers which it converted into five more points, capped by Aiyannah Peal's three-point play and a 51-43 lead at the 8:19 mark. 

Tallahassee forced 34 turnovers for the game, which resulted in 31 points. 

Playing against a significant deficit for the first time in the game, Daytona State never got closer than four points the rest of the way. 

Peal scored 13 points and was one of three players in double-figures for Tallahassee. Edwards led all scorers with 15 points. Cat Wells came off the bench to add 10. 

Chelsy Springs and Destiny Woodard scored 12 points each for Daytona State. 

Tallahassee will close play in the Capital Courtyard Classic at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against NJCAA No. 13 Walters State (Tenn.) Community College. 

Capital Courtyard Classic – Day 2

Central Florida 72, Southern Union 43
Chipola 70, Walters State 39

Tallahassee Community College would like to thank the Leon County Tourist Development Council, the Capital Courtyard by Marriott and Chick-fil-A West Tennessee Street for their support of the Capital Courtyard Classic.