Flash Points:

-Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) led three in double figures with 26 and added 8 steals

-The Flash blocked a school record 13 shots led by Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum)'s seven

-An 18-3 Jackson State run in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference

BOCA RATON, FLA.- An 18-3 run by Jackson State in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as Saint Francis fell 88-84 in the finale of the Florida Atlantic Holiday tournament. 

Saint Francis had led the entire game up until the Tigers' fourth quarter run. SFU played aggressive and spirited defense the entire game, forcing the Tigers into a pair of scoring droughts. Five first-quarter points from Jill Falvey (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) helped jump start a run for the Flash who raced out to a pair of 10-point leads in the first quarter. Kovatch had 10 of her 25 in the first as SFU led 32-25 after the first. 

A Tiger run in the second quarter tied the game briefly at 34 but the Flash turned up the defensive intensity. They forced the Tigers to miss their next 15 shots while opening up a nine-point lead. Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) had five points in the run and a half court buzzer beater from the Tigers was their only basket in the final five minutes. SFU took a 49-43 lead into the half. 

Saint Francis maintained a steady lead in the third quarter, never leading by less than five.  SFU built their lead back into double digits on the back of a 9-0 run midway through the quarter. The Red Flash turned the Tigers over six times in the streak and forced a JSU timeout. A Kovatch three and lay-ins by Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle (Sienna)) and Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) fueled the run.  A late 6-0 run by JSU cut the lead back to single digits at the end of the third, but SFU led 66-57 heading into the final frame. 

The Red Flash went cold in the fourth quarter, going just 5-19 from the field and an uncharacteristic 6-12 from the foul line. SFU was held without a field goal for the first three minutes of the quarter as JSU ripped off a 14-2 run to take a 72-69 lead with seven minutes remaining. The Tigers held the lead over the next three minutes until a three by Adams tied the game at 78. In the final four minutes, the lead changed four times and there were three ties. A lay-in by Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes (Manhattan)) tied the game at 80 and an Adams free throw on the next possession gave SFU an 81-80 lead. A Zezza three gave SFU an 84-82 lead and after a stop on the next possession, the Flash had the ball. However the Flash had two turnovers and a missed jumper on their final three possessions of the game. JSU took the lead for good on a traditional three-point play late and hit three-of-four free throws late to ice the game. 

Saint Francis had a school record 13 blocks in the game led by Zezza's seven and Cydney Smith (Port Tobacco, Md./St. Mary's Ryken)'s 5. Kovatch was named all-tournament after her 26 point, six rebound, eight steal effort on Saturday. She led three in double figures as Zezza had 19 points off the bench to go with her seven blocks. Adams led the team with 12 rebounds and Smith joined her in double figures with 10. Derica Wiggins came off the bench to lead JSU with 21 as they put four players in double figures. The Tigers also forced 29 turnovers, leading to 29 points and out scored the Red Flash 40-30 in the paint. 

The loss drops SFU to 3-7 on the year while Jackson State sits at 5-4. The Red Flash wrap up the road trip at William and Mary on Tuesday night. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.