Comeback Rally Falls Short in Loss to NCCU

Taniqua Hollis scores career-high 17 points

Megan Green (photo by Anthony Vasser)

TAMPA, Fla. – The HBU women’s basketball team concluded the USF Shootout with a 75-60 loss against North Carolina Central in the consolation game of the tournament.

NCCU opened the first four minutes with a 7-4 lead entering the first media timeout, thanks to five points from the Lady Eagles’ leading scorer, Joanna Miller. The Huskies shut down Miller the remainder of the first half, limiting her to only two points with three minutes remaining. The Lady Eagles led by as many as 11, but the Huskies cut the lead to seven as NCCU led at halftime, 38-31.

The Huskies were led in scoring by Taniqua Hollis with 10 points, while Megan Green shot a pair of threes resulting in six points. On the boards, Shirolacille Holloway had five rebounds, while Hollis and Destini Texada had two apiece. NCCU was led by Danielle DeBerry with 13 points, followed by Miller with 11. J’Mia Pollock was tops with seven rebounds and also contributed eight points. DeBerry and Shanise Blanks had seven of the team’s eight steals.

Entering the first media timeout of the second half, Green shot a three-pointer deep in the left corner and the Huskies forced some turnovers, but still were down by five, 42-37. The Huskies went cold from the floor and at the midway point of the second half, found themselves down 50-39. Back-to-back threes by Green and Hollis cut the Husky deficit to 65-52 with six minutes left in regulation, as the Huskies battled back to a deficit as much as 21 earlier in the second half. But the Huskies got cold at the wrong time and could get no closer the rest of the way.

The Huskies were led in scoring by Hollis, with a career-high 17 points, followed by Green with 12, which is a season high. Holloway led the Huskies on the boards for the second straight game, grabbing eight today, while Brittany Maxey had six. For the Lady Eagles, Miller continued to like Florida as she scored 21 points. She also contributed seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

HBU (2-11) will break for Christmas before returning to action hosting Texas-Arlington on December 30 at 7:05 pm.