The Santa Fe College women's basketball team needed a savior in Wednesday's game against rival Central Florida Community College, and they found one in sophomore forward Nichelle Glover.
Glover was on fire during the game, scoring 41 points. She shot 8 for 9 at the free-throw line and was 1 for 2 from behind the arc.
The Saints (20-5, 9-1 Mid-Florida Conference) beat the Patriots 86-76, avenging their 89-59 loss at CFCC on Feb. 7. This win brings them one step closer to being MFC champions.
"We had a comeback," Glover said. "We played as a team, and we came ready to play. We wanted it more."
The Saints, down by 1 point in the first half, had a revival after Glover hit two free throws that put them ahead 17-16.
A technical foul by the Patriots' Brittany Hardy allowed freshman guard Tracie Sneed to make two free throws that tied the game at 30. In a clutch position, Glover made one basket that put the Saints ahead for good.
The Patriots were down, but not out, rallying back with four minutes left before halftime to make it a 4-point game.
But the Saints were solid.
"We won one, and then we lost one. This has been a rubber match," said SFC coach Chanda Stebbins. "Both teams played really hard. The conference is good, and they make it look good."
The Patriots battled the Saints until the very end but could not push past the team's defense. Key steals and fouls allowed the Saints to dominate in the second half.
The Saints shot 88.7 percent at the free throw line and had 21 points from steals alone.
"The loss there (CFCC) helped us against them," said SFC assistant coach Gary Green. "It's a nice rivalry. Tonight the crowd really helped our defense. We came together and played. We put everything we've worked on together. This is the most complete game all season. We're real proud of them."
