Big 4th quarter from Hitchcock can't rescue Eutectics in Florida

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The Eutectics traveled to the Sunshine State for a Thanksgiving stay and for a pair of game against unfamiliar opponents. In their first-ever meeting with the Keiser Seahawks, UHSP fell 70-55 as Aly Avrach came off the Seahawks bench to lead all scorers with 17 points. The Eutectics trailed by 15 points early in the fourth, but Taylor Hitchcock got UHSP within striking distance scoring all seven of her points in the fourth quarter as they cut the margin to eight with still half the fourth quarter remaining. But the Hawks knocked down three threes from that point forward to close out a comfortable win.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

KEISER 70, UHSP 55

• Keiser's 17-8 end of first quarter lead was fueled by near 44% shooting for the home club. UHSP only made three first quarter field goals, but a pair of threes kept them relatively close. After Arianna Buduan drilled one of those threes with just over four minutes remaining, KU closed the quarter on a 12-0 run.
• The Eutectics warmed up in the second going 46% from the floor with half of their six made field goals coming from deep. But the UHSP defense struggled as the Seahawks made half of their 16 field goal attempts. The lead for Keiser eventually ballooned to 16 in the quarter before three triples from Analyssa Maldonado made things manageable at 30-23. Faith O'Handley had six points in the quarter all during the UHSP run. O'Handley finished the game with eight points and four rebounds with the eight points being a season-high. Keiser led 38-26 at the half
• The third quarter saw UHSP eventually cut the margin to four. Montasia McAllister had five quick points to open the quarter and Aryanna Bull got it to six with not even three minutes in the period. Alina Bowden drilled a three with 6:05 left to bring the Keiser lead to 44-40. But the Eutectics suffered another quarter ending drought that saw the Seahawks go on a 9-0 quarter-closing run to lead 53-40 after three.
• Hitchcock scored seven of UHSP's first ten points in the fourth to keep UHSP in it. McAllister added a perimeter shot, but it was Hitchcock that brought it to 58-50 with 5:40 left. Keiser again had a solid close to the quarter scoring 12 of the final 17 points to pull away in the end.
• KU shot 42.9% for the game from the floor while UHSP connected at 32.8%. Both teams made eight threes in the game.
• Keiser edged UHSP in rebounds (44-36) and assists (20-12), but also had more turnovers than the Eutectics (18-15).
• Analyssa Maldonado led UHSP in scoring with a dozen points and Montasia McAllister added 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.
• Jasmyn Hale had 13 points, six boards and four assists for Keiser.

NEXT UP:

It will be another first-time meeting for the Eutectics (2-5) as they play the Florida Memorial Lions (3-2) on Wednesday at 12:00p. The Eutectics have two more on the road following their Florida trip before they return home on December 15 when they host Mission for an AMC match.