Defense is Key in Fire Victory Over Tigers

Lakeland, Fla.- The Southeastern University women's basketball team was back in action today after a week and a half Christmas pause in the season and advanced to 8-2 on the season with their 68-52 victory over Edward Waters.
 
The Fire jumped out to an early lead and never looked back after never succeeding the lead to the Tigers throughout the entirety of the game. Defense seemed to be the winning factor for the Fire throughout the game as they were able to capitalize on seven Tiger turnovers within the first ten minutes of play to go up 25-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Fire defense held the Tigers to a miniscule 25% field goal percentage in the first quarter as the Tigers went 3-12 from the field as opposed to the Fire's 10-19 field goal effort in the first quarter.
 
The Tigers were able to improve in the second quarter after starting the quarter with a layup and good free throw after a Fire foul. The Fire were able to answer quickly with a defensive rebound by Rebecca Cook and a good jumper by Gabrielle Ozoude as well as a steal and good layup from Madi Hecox to go up 29-13 over the Tigers with a little under five minutes remaining before the half. Hecox would then go on to snag an offensive rebound and put the ball back into the net to put the Fire up by 19 and would also successfully shoot two free throws with 50 seconds remaining to secure a 37-26 lead over the Tigers going into halftime.
 
It took two minutes into the third quarter for either team to see a basket after two Fire turnovers in the first two minutes to open up the third quarter but Haley Howarth was able to find some momentum for the Fire after hitting a three pointer followed by another good layup and three pointer by Hecox to extend the Fire lead to 45-26. Ozoude finished off the Fire scoring in the third with three good free throws and a made basket in the paint to end the third quarter 52-34.
 
The fourth quarter would lend the Fire their largest lead of the game after capitalizing on four more Tigers turnovers. Ozoude extended the lead to 20 with 8:32 remaining in the game. Minutes later the Fire strung together a 6-0 run to give them their largest lead of the day by a score of 66-42. The Tigers were able to string together some baskets in the final minutes to reduce the deficit to 16 and solidify the 68-52 Fire victory.
 
Ozoude ended the day as the Fire's top scorer with 19 points in only 23 minutes played while Hecox finished right behind her with 17 points as well as a team high 10 rebounds.
 
The women are back in action on Saturday in the Furnace for a conference matchup against the College of Coastal Georgia at 2 p.m.