Titan women's basketball team loses on buzzer beater

Tayler Smith calmly stepped to the line and hit both free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining in the game to give the Eastern Florida State College women's basketball team its first lead.

But Florida State College of Jacksonville's Malaysia Robinson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Blue Wave a 60-59 victory at Titan Field House Wednesday night.

Eastern Florida State College went into the locker room down 17 at the half, but came out in the third quarter and cut the lead to five points setting up a fourth-quarter battle.

"I was so happy with how we guarded in the second half, guarded according to the scouting report. We know them really well and they did a good job in the second half," Eastern Florida State College women's basketball coach Jim Grimes said. "We just have to start better. Robinson hit a great shot at the end but that isn't why we lost the game, we lost the game in the first half. We just have to start games better."

On Wednesday night the Titans stormed back after getting down by double digits in the second quarter.

But they battled back and Mariah Batz tied the game with 1:18 remaining on her fourth 3-pointer of the game. With the clock winding down, Smith stole the ball and after a Titans timeout, took a pass and drove to the basket, getting fouled as she put up the shot.

She hit both free throws to give the Titans the lead but after a Blue Wave timeout with 2.6 seconds left, Robinson hit the game winner.

Victoria Morales led the Titans with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Trudy Walker finished with 12 points, all in the second half. Batz also had 12 points while Caitlyn Smith finished with eight points and nine assists.

Eastern Florida State College will travel to Fort Myers to play No. 1 Gulf Coast State College in the Florida Southwestern Classic on Dec. 29.