Women's basketball team advances to Region VIII Tournament semifinals

After a slow start, the Eastern Florida State College women's basketball team went on a run and never looked back in an 82-34 win at the Region VIII Tournament Quarterfinals at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville.

Both teams struggled early but after Santa Fe made the first basket of the game, the Titans responded with a 17-0 run to lead 17-2 after the first quarter.

The run would continue into the second quarter as Elli Garnett hit a 3-pointer and another basket to make it 25-2 with 7:52 remaining in the second quarter.

The No. 1 seed would lead 35-13 at halftime behind the strong play of Garnett who had 15 of her season-high 18 points in the first half. The Golden, Colorado sophomore finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four rebounds in the game.

The third quarter saw Shadaria Smith get hot, hitting three 3-pointers in the quarter and finished with 12 points in the game.

The Titans head into the Region VIII Tournament semifinals for the second time in two seasons and third time in the past six years. winners of 13 games in a row and are now 29-1 on the season.

It will be a rematch of last season's semifinal as Indian River State College advanced to the semifinals with a 77-69 win over St. Petersburg College.

The semifinals will be held on Friday at Northwest Florida State College with the Titans-Pioneers game at 4 p.m. EDT.