Eagle women fall short against Miami Dade

NICEVILLE, Fla. (December 6, 2019) – Tallahassee Community College's comeback bid fell short in a 64-58 loss to Miami Dade College on day one action at the Florida College's Women's Basketball Shootout. 

Since rattling off five straight wins, the Eagles have dropped three of their last four games to fall to 6-4 on the season. 

After yielding the game's opening basket, Tallahassee scored 11 unanswered to open up an early nine-point lead. Miami Dade got back to within two points, 18-16, at the end of the first quarter then grabbed control of the game in the second. 

Tallahassee went ice cold offensively, scoring only six points in the quarter, and didn't hit a field goal until the final minute. Two baskets in the closing seconds cut into an 11-point deficit and sent the Eagles to the locker room trailing 31-24. 

Tallahassee trailed by as many as 13 points in the third before finishing the quarter on a 9-2 run to pull within six (46-40). The Eagles continued to make a push into the fourth, trailing just 53-49 at the 5:00 mark, but that's as close as they would get. 

Tallahassee shot just 26.9 percent (18-of-67) for the game and also struggled at the free throw line, hitting just 15-of-26 attempts (57.7 percent). 

Polina Nikulochkina scored 22 points to lead three players in double-figures for the Eagles. Olivia Eller had 13 and Sedayjha Payne, 10. 

Tallahassee will play Hillsborough Community College at 7 p.m. eastern Saturday in day two of the Shootout.