MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Southeastern leaned on a huge fourth quarter from
Mya Herman and late-game composure to pull out a 64–63 road win over St. Thomas on Wednesday night in Sun Conference women's basketball action in Miami Gardens. The victory moves the Fire to 21–3 overall and 11–1 in conference play while also guaranteeing Southeastern a top-two finish in the league standings and a bye into the Sun Conference Tournament semifinals.
In a game defined by constant swings, the teams combined for 12 ties and 20 lead changes, reflecting how little separated the two sides for 40 minutes. The drama peaked in the fourth quarter, where both offenses caught fire. Each team scored on its first five possessions of the period, creating a rapid-fire stretch that featured 11 lead changes in just a few minutes and turned the final frame into a sprint to the finish.
Herman was the difference-maker when it mattered most. The junior guard poured in nine of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, repeatedly answering St. Thomas rallies with confident shot-making. She hit from both inside and out, including a key three-pointer and multiple mid-range scores that helped Southeastern keep pace during the back-and-forth burst.
Grace Field complimented that effort with 16 points and 16 rebounds, controlling the glass and giving the Fire crucial second chances. Her interior presence paid off late, as she scored two key layups in the final minutes, including the go-ahead basket with just over a minute to play that put Southeastern in front for good.
The first half set the tone for the thriller. Southeastern led 12–11 after one quarter and used a strong shooting second period to take a 33–30 halftime edge. The Fire shot over 50 percent in the second quarter and found success attacking the paint, while their defense forced St. Thomas into multiple empty possessions.
St. Thomas answered in the third, briefly grabbing momentum behind Joey Delancy, who finished with 18 points and four three-pointers. The Bobcats outscored the Fire 15–12 in the period to tighten the game heading into the fourth.
That set the stage for the frantic final quarter. After Delancy tied the game at 62–62 with a three-pointer in the final 90 seconds, Southeastern turned again to its interior attack. Field's late basket put the Fire ahead 64–62, and after St. Thomas split a pair at the line to make it a one-point game, Southeastern secured the defensive rebound on the next defensive possession and ran out the clock.
SEU turned in an efficient all-around team performance, shooting 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field while generating consistent offense inside and in transition. The Fire scored 36 points in the paint, added 12 fast-break points, and capitalized forced 17 St. Thomas turnovers which they converted into 15 points.
Next up, Southeastern returns home on Saturday at 5 p.m. to host Keiser in a key Sun Conference matchup at The Furnace.
