Women's Basketball Edged in Season Opener at Indian River
January 21, 2021

Women's Basketball Edged in Season Opener at Indian River

FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Santa Fe women's basketball took the floor for the first time in 2021, falling just short of erasing a deficit as large as 16 points in a 69-66 defeat at Indian River State College.
 
The Saints fell into an early 8-0 hole, but broke into the scoring column with an offensive rebound and putback from Jasani Buchanan. 
 
The basket was the start of a 13-4 run, leading Santa Fe to a 13-12 advantage after the opening quarter.
 
The hosts however were able to turn the momentum back in their favor, grabbing a 39-30 lead at the halftime whistle.
 
Indian River's lead grew to as large as 16 points in the second half, and was 60-52 at the the end of the third quarter.
 
Santa Fe whittled the gap down to as little as two points on multiple occasions, however, and held the final possession with about seven seconds on the clock, trailing by three.
 
After the ball was inbounded, Kelli Cunningham received a pass in the right corner beyond the arc, but Indian River's double-team yielded a blocked three-point try at the buzzer. 
 
The Saints' offense was led by Buchanan, who finished with a game-high 19 points. with two three-pointers made and a 6-of-6 effort from the free-throw line.
 
Cunningham contributed nine points in her collegiate debut, while Renee Clines, Taniah Bowers, and Keliyah Johnson chipped in with eight points apiece.
 
Santa Fe did most of its damage from the free-throw line, going 25-of-33 in the team's first time out.  
 
Coach Stebbins' Take
"We have to handle pressure better and take care of the ball. The game was sloppy and we didn't adjust well. We passed up some shots we should have taken and forced passes that weren't there. It is all about growing though and improving. We will continue to get better."
 
Up Next
The Saints travel to play Northwest Florida State College on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 3:00 p.m.
Video Box Score

Team Stats