Score: No. 1 Southeastern 56, Keiser 53
Records: Keiser (18-10, 8-7 SUN), Southeastern (27-1, 16-0 SUN) 
Location: Student Life Center, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Keiser Starters: Shykim Gillion (G), Chiara De Virgilio (G), Taylor Jones (F), Kaitlyn Fertig (F), Angela Denis (C).
Southeastern Starters: Leilah Vigil (F), Raegan Linster (G), Angela Perry (C), Marta Aranda (G), Tahanee Bennell (G)

The Keiser women's basketball team lost a nail-bitter to the No. 1-ranked Southeastern Fire on Thursday evening from the Student Life Center.

In a game that saw nine lead changes and 10 ties, it came down to the final minute to determine a winner. 





A triple by Raegan Linster pushed the Fire lead to four, 55-51, with 1:32 remaining. Trailing by three, 56-53, with eight seconds left in the game the Seahawks were unable to make the final shot of the game, falling to the No. 1 team in the nation.
   

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Southeastern 18, Keiser 16

• Angela Denis scored the first bucket of the game with a layup at the 9:26 mark.
• A 3-poiner by Marta Aranda pushed the SEU lead to seven, 11-4, with 6:11 left in the first.
• Kaitlyn Fertig responded with a triple of her own to make it s 11-7 game with 5:05 on the clock.
• Back-to-back treys by Andressa Nascimento pulled the Seahawks within one, 14-13, with 2:25 left in the first.
• Fertig tied the game with bucket from downtown, 16-16 (1:44).
• The Fire's Leilah Vigil made a layup with 55 seconds on the clock to give SEU an 18-16 lead.

Southeastern 29, Keiser 27

• Taylor Jones tied the game at 20-20 with a made layup with 6:51 remaining in the first half.
• A triple by Julia Fitzwater gave the Seahawks their first lead since the first quarter, 24-23, with 4:44 on the game clock.
• With the game tied a 26-26, SEU's Haley Howarth hit a 3-pointer to make it a 29-26 with 1:53 left.
• A made free throw by Elise Ellison-Coons cut the Fire lead to two, 29-27, heading into halftime. 

Keiser 38, Southeastern 38

• A layup by Nascimento gave KU a 33-31 lead with 5:45 left to play in the third. 
• Josselin Geer tied the game for the Fire with 4:11 on the clock.
• A 3-pointer by Fitzwater made it a 38-35 game in favor of Keiser with 44 second remaining in the third.
• Howarth hit a 3-pointer with six second left in the quarter to tie the game at 38-38.

Southeastern 56, Keiser 53

• Chiara De Virgilio opened the quarter with a 3-pointer to give Keiser a 41-38 lead (9:19).
• A pair of made free throws by Jones made it a three-point game for the Seahawks, 45-42 (6:03).
• The Seahawks took their largest lead of the game (four points) as Jones converted the second of two shots from the charity stripe, 48-44, with 5:00 left in the game.
• A trip to the free-throw line by SEU's Rebecca Cook tied the game at 48-48 with 4:16 on the clock.
• Vigil gave the Fire the lead with 3:38 on the game clock with a made layup, 50-48.
• A triple by Raegan Linster pushed the Fire lead to four, 55-51, with 1:32 remaining. 
• Trailing by three, 56-53, with eight seconds left in the game the Seahawks were unable to make the final shot of the game, falling to the No. 1 team in the nation.

 

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• Prior to the game, the Seahawks recognized four members of the program who took part in the final regular-season home contest of their Keiser careers - (Manager - Tia Riddle, Stina Rehn-Andersson, Chiara De Virgilio, Angela Denis).  
• With the loss, Keiser drops to 18-10 (8-7 SUN).
• With the loss, Keiser drops to 13-5 at the Student Life Center this season.
• With the loss, Keiser drops to 9-20 all-time against versus the Fire.
• With the loss, Keiser drops to 7-9 all-time versus the Fire in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• The Seahawks have lost 15 straight to the Fire.

• Angela Denis scored a team-high 11 points.
• Denis also added 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double this season.
• Andressa Nascimento added 10 points.
• Chiara De Virgilio led KU with seven assists.
• On the glass,the Seahawks and Fire drew even in rebounding, 37-37.
• The Fire held a 12-10 edge on the offensive glass.
• The Seahawks registered 15assists on 18 made buckets.
• Overall, KU shot 36.0 percent from the field and was 10-of-15 from the line (66.7 percent).

 

• Ties: 10
• Lead Changes: 9
• Largest Lead: Keiser (4); Southeastern (7)

Keiser

• Points: Angela Denis (11)
• Rebounds: Angela Denis (11)
• Assists: Chiara De Virgilio (7)

 
Southeastern

• Points: Leilah Vigil (14)
• Rebounds: Angela Perry (8)
• Assists: Tahanee Bennell (6)

Keiser travels to Ave Maria, Florida, to take on the Gyrenes in the final regular-season game of the 2021-22 season on Saturday, February 19. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.