GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the final home game of 2021, Santa Fe College Women's Basketball held off Tallahassee Community College for the second time this season, defeating the Eagles by an 86-77 score inside the SF Gymnasium.

The Saints never trailed in this one, though the Eagles made it interesting down the stretch.

First Quarter – SF 24, TCC 12

SF accounted for the game's first eight points, with six quick points coming from Aleisha Curry.

The lead grew to as large as 14 in the opening frame, after Kelli Cunningham's three-pointer brought the score to 24-10 with just 1:38 on the clock.

The Eagles had the final basket in the quarter, but the Saints were off to a great start. Isabella Reynolds led the SF offense with seven points off the bench.

Second Quarter – SF 45, TCC 36

Tallahassee brought their deficit down to six on a number of occasions, but an 11-4 spurt from the Saints kept the hosts comfortably in front.

Reynolds tacked on another seven points in the second quarter to have 14 at the break.

Third Quarter – SF 65, TCC 59

Santa Fe established their largest lead of the game, 58-40, after Curry sunk two free-throws with 5:40 on the clock.

The center created second chance opportunities for SF all game long and had nine points in the third quarter to help the Saints' cause.

Tallahassee, however, cut the SF lead all the way down to just two, 59-57, with a 17-1 run nearing the start of the fourth.

Santa Fe stayed composed and countered with a 6-2 run to end the period, entering the fourth and final quarter with the six-point edge.

Fourth Quarter – SF 86, TCC 77

Tallahassee trailed by just a basket once again, 65-63, with 8:39 remaining, and then just three, 75-72, with 3:34 to play.

The Saints put the game away with a few clutch plays late. Malea Brown made a key trifecta to double the lead, then Olivia Smith had a basket inside.

After an Eagles triple, back-to-back long balls from Brown and Cunningham in the final two minutes put the game out of reach to preserve the win.

Key Statistics

Santa Fe tied a season-high with 20 assists on 28 made field goals.

The Saints held a huge advantage in the rebounding battle, 55-32.

SF was an efficient 19-of-22 from the free-throw line.

Five different Saints were in double-figures offensively, paced by 17 from Brown.

A season-high 16 points came from Reynolds on 6-of-11 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.

Curry finished with her sixth double-double of the season with 15 points on 4-of-5 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. She added 13 rebounds.

Cunningham had 15 points with five triples, and Smith contributed 11 points and seven rebounds.

Up Next

Santa Fe (7-4, 0-0 Central) will conclude the week with three consecutive games, a stretch that begins with a matchup at Miami Dade on Thursday, Dec. 16. Tipoff with the Sharks is set for 5:30 p.m. The Saints beat Miami Dade on a neutral court on Saturday, Nov. 13, 83-68.