Eagle women drop crucial game to Gulf Coast State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 14, 2015) – Tallahassee Community College's women's basketball team suffered an 86-77 loss to Gulf Coast State College on Saturday evening in women's basketball action. 

The Eagles (20-9, 5-6 Panhandle Conference) took the floor on Saturday knowing a win would clinch a berth in the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA State Basketball Tournament. Instead, Gulf Coast State (4-6 PC) stayed alive and both teams will enter the final week of the regular season with multiple scenarios in play – either team would clinch the conference's No. 3 seed outright or a one-game playoff could be needed. 

Tallahassee was in position for the win, leading 65-62 with six minutes left but Gulf Coast State scored 24 points the rest of the way to seize momentum and the victory away from the Eagles. 

Gulf Coast State jumped out to a 10-1 lead less than four minutes in and led 14-5 at the 13:54 mark of the first half. But the Eagles roared back and a 12-0 run, capped by Aiyannah Peal's basket gave Tallahassee a 26-18 lead with 6:58 remaining in the first half. 

The Commodores tied the game with eight straight points and eventually regained the lead before Eboni Watts tied the game at 30-all heading to the break. 

Five Eagles reached double-figures in scoring led by Cat Wells' 15. Eboni Watts and Aryn Tarver added 14 each. Jeremica Edwards scored 12 and Benedicta Makakala, 11. 

Tallahassee will play its final regular season game on Tuesday when it travels to Chipola College. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. eastern.