Box Score
LANGHORNE, PA - With a team that features nine of 12 players on their roster listed at 5'8 or taller, Southeastern University generally has a distinct size advantage in every game they enter.
Wednesday night was no different for the visiting Fire, as Southeastern utilized their superior vertical stature to a "T", pounding the ball inside to a plethora of players 6’0 and over. What resulted was a 53.1 percent effort from the field for the Fire, a number that hasn’t come up on the defensive end of a Crimson Eagle stat sheet in over four full years of play.
Despite 22 turnovers for the visitors compared to PBU’s mark of 12 cough-ups, Southeastern used their hot shooting mixed with a dominant performance on the glass to make up for their lack of care on the offensive end, outrebounding PBU 47-32 for the game.
The Fire didn’t waste any time early, scoring the first eight points of the game to go ahead 8-0. Seven points in a span of 2:12 from junior guard Dani Norton would help spurn a 7-2 PBU run cutting the score to 10-7, but Southeastern would respond with another spurt, eventually widening the gap to 20-10 with just under 10 minutes left in the opening stanza.
A see-saw battle ensued over the remainder of the period, leaving PBU down nine at 42-33 to enter the break.
Needing to string together a run in the second half, PBU was never able to mount a full head of steam. Instead, the Fire would keep the Crimson Eagles at arms length the remainder of the way, allowing the host squad to pull within no more than seven.
Southeastern utilized an extremely well balanced attack throughout the evening, finishing the night with six players that registered eight or more points. The Fire, the leading shotblocking team in NCCAA II, also enjoyed seven swats compared to zero for PBU.
After allowing just one opponent to hit for 50 percent from the field or greater a year ago, Wednesday’s loss marks PBU’s third straight contest that the group has allowed the undesired figure. It also marks the second time this season the Crimson Eagles have fallen to Southeastern as the Fire managed a monster 68-59 come from behind victory back in late November.
Junior guard Dani Norton finished with a game high 23 points and nine rebounds, just missing her second double-double of the season. Junior forward Lindsey Fornwalt added a career high 15 points and five steals in 34 minutes of work, while senior guard Summer Mullen hit for 11 points on five of 10 shooting to compliment five assists.
The Crimson Eagles will look to get back on track on Monday when the group returns to CSAC play to take on Centenary College. PBU will play the Cyclones in Hackettstown, NJ at 6:00 pm.
