GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Santa Fe College women's basketball won for the second time over Hillsborough this season, erasing a double-digit halftime deficit to surge past the Hawks, 75-71 on the Dale Mabry Campus.

The game was a rematch of the season opener on Nov. 1 in Gainesville, won 69-59 by Santa Fe.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening half was one to forget for the Saints. SF had 12 turnovers and shot just 23.3 percent from the floor and 2-of-21 from beyond the arc.

The HCC lead in the opening half was as large as 14 points in the opening quarter, but Casey Lewis' basket in the final second of the second quarter brought the Saints' halftime deficit to ten, 42-32.

Hillsborugh was able to bump the lead back up to 14 points with a triple nearing the midway point of the third quarter.

The Saints began to whittle away into the Hawk's advantage, however, cutting it to a one-possession game, 55-52, with a 17-6 run. Malea Brown and Khalea Douglas were the primary orchestrators of the surge, as the Saints started to see the ball go through the hoop headed into the final frame.

Santa Fe's first lead of the game came with about eight minutes on the clock in the final quarter, when Brown sunk a three-pointer from the left wing to make it 58-57.

When HCC responded with a string of four consecutive points to go back ahead 61-58, the Saints started a key string of eight unanswered points to seize a 66-61 advantage with about five minutes to play. A basket from Lewis was sandwiched between long balls from Brown and Delancy during the stretch of play.

The lead did not hold, though as the hosts made another push to see the lead switch hands once again.

HCC led 71-68 with three minutes to play, but a basket from Douglas and a free-throw from Irene Kabassubabo tied it at 71 points apiece.

Each side traded some empty possessions, and the score stayed pat until Hillsborough had possession with about 40 seconds left to play.

After a jumper clanged off the rim, Selah Reddick controlled the defensive rebound and pushed the ball up the court, only to be fouled on a reach-in with just seven seconds left.

SF was in the bonus, and the HCC miscue was made worse by a called technical foul.

Reddick made one free-throw, then Brown split a pair for the technical foul shots. HCC was then forced to foul with SF holding possession, and Brown iced the victory with two free-throws from the line in the 75-71 come-from-behind win.

UPDATED RECORDS

Santa Fe – 5-3

Hillsborough – 0-9

KEY STATISTICS

SF earned 20 points from the free-throw line in the win, getting more aggressive to the basket when perimeter shots weren't falling.

The Saints helped to overcome the below-average shooting night by dominating the Hawks on the glass. SF nearly doubled HCC in the rebounding category by grabbing 70, with 36 of them coming on the offensive side of the ball to create second chance opportunities. The 70 rebounds were the second-highest total for a game in program history, behind only the record of 74 from 1989 against Miami Dade, Kendall. 

17 of the 24 made field goals were assisted upon.

Brown led four Saints in double-figures offensively, finishing with 28 points, which included four triples. She also grabbed seven rebounds, had four assists and five steals.

Casey Lewis had her first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, with the rebounds representing a season-high. Reddick also notched a double-double with a final stat line of 10 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

Delancy contributed ten points, while Douglas and Kabassubabo were solid off the bench. Kabassubabo ripped away a season-high 15 rebounds, ten on the offensive end, while Douglas had season-highs in points (eight) and rebounds (six).

UP NEXT

The Saints (5-3) have now won three of their last four games, and will head to Tallahassee on Saturday, Nov. 26 for a 2:00 p.m. matchup with the Eagles.