Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – With a roster full of new faces, the No. 4 Southeastern University women's basketball team displayed the same tenacity that fueled the Fire to a deep postseason run last season. SEU defeated the NCAA Division II Saint Leo University Lions 84-55 in their season opener at The Furnace. This marks the fourth straight season opener the Fire have won.
SEU displayed a balanced offensive attack from the onset, with seven different players contributing points in the first quarter. A three pointer by senior guard
Ana Richter put the Fire up 24-12 to end the quarter.
The Fire locked down defensively to start the second quarter, opening up the period on a 13-0 run. During the run, Southeastern forced three turnovers and scored 10 of its 13 points in the paint.
"I think teams have to adjust to us, and when we come out and make adjustments other teams are still trying to play catch up and figure out the first thing we threw at them," shared Head Coach
Tim Hays.
Junior small forward
Emma Karamovic made an immediate impact in her first game for SEU. The Tampa transfer led all first half scorers with 10 points, sinking two of her three 3 point attempts. Karamovic finished the evening with 14 points, shooting 6-8 from the field.
Southeastern took a 45-22 lead over Saint Leo into the half. The Fire defense stifled the Lions to just 21.4% shooting from the field in the first half.
SEU grew its lead to as high as 31 in the second half, while the Lions were unable to cut the deficit to any less than 22.
The Fire had six double digit scorers, the first time that has happened in a season opener since joining the NAIA in 2009.
Richter led all scorers with 16 points. Junior shooting guard
Jaycee Coe was the third SEU starter to score in double digits, with 10 points.
"We were really excited to come out in our first game with a new group of girls…We're still getting used to playing together and communicating and the flow of the game but I'm really proud of how our team came out in our first game," remarked Richter.
Southeastern received 10 point efforts off the bench from
Anissa Toumi,
Maja Michalska, and
Trisha Jacobs.
Toumi, a Florida Southern transfer, was a perfect 4-4 from the field in 18 minutes registered.
Sophomore center
Marlena Schmidt led all players in rebounds, snagging seven boards.
"We know there's going to be some quirks and things we have to work through, but for a first game with 12 new players, we will take that result any day," commented Coach Hays.
The Fire now head to the Big Easy this weekend, as SEU is set to participate in a tournament in New Orleans. Southeastern first will face Loyola University this Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
