West Florida Falls to Valdosta State on Senior Day

February 25, 2012

Sher’Ryan Scott Scores 14 Points in 50-53 Loss

Four-year senior Keaundrea Merriewether played her 100th career game as an Argonaut on senior day on Saturday (Photo by Chris Nelson)

Related Item: Box Score

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The West Florida women’s basketball team fell short in a 53-50 loss to Valdosta State on Saturday in the Argonauts’ final regular season game. The loss moves UWF to 10-16 overall and 6-8 in GSC play, as the Argos finish in a tie for fourth place with West Alabama in the GSC standings.

West Florida and West Alabama both finished the year 6-8 in the conference standings after UWA’s 63-48 win at West Georgia on Saturday. UWA wins the tiebreaker over UWF to earn the No. 4 seed after posting a better record (1-1) against third place Valdosta State (20-6, 10-4 GSC).

Sher’Ryan Scott (Fort Deposit, Ala./Wallace State CC-Selma), one of five seniors honored before the game for UWF, was the team’s leading scorer with 14 points. Scott also grabbed nine steals on defense, coming just two steals shy of tying the UWF single game record. Erica Wright (Pace, Fla./Spring Hill) also performed well in her last home game, scoring 10 points, all of which came in the second half.

The Argonaut offense struggled in the first half, shooting 20 percent from the field and 40 percent from the free throw line. The Lady Blazers jumped out to an early 13-2 lead, taking advantage of multiple Argonaut turnovers. Scott recorded four of her nine steals in the first half and helped pull the Argos within six points near the end of the period. VSU responded with a 14-4 run to take a 30-14 lead into halftime.

In the second half, West Florida cut into the Blazers’ lead when they started the half on a 20-10 run, thanks in part to junior Hanna Vette’s (Tarkio, Mo./Mineral Area CC) 10 second half points. The Argos continued to battle back and came within three, down 45-42, on a layup by Scott with 4:46 left.

A three-pointer by Vette, assisted by junior Tiara Logan (Meridian CC/Philadelphia HS) tied the score 45-45 with 4:19 on the clock. Wright then tied the game at 49 with a minute left, only to Sczeny Hartry hit a jumper to put VSU on top 51-49. Scott drove the lane with 16 seconds left and drew a foul, but she hit just one of the two free throws, leaving the Argos one point back. The Argos fouled on the next possession, and Courtney Mitchell hit both for VSU, extending the lead to three. Vette’s last second three was off the mark, and VSU escaped with the 53-50 win.

Scott and Wright were two of five seniors honored before the game, with the others being Octavia Bearden (Tylertown, Miss./Southwest Mississippi CC), Desiree Dotey (Hammond, La./Southwest Mississippi CC) and Keaundrea Merriewether (Jacksonville, Fla./University Christian HS).

The Argos will face West Alabama in the first round of the GSC Tournament on Thursday, March 1 at The Arena in Niceville, Fla., and tipoff time will be announced by the GSC. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.