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TAMPA - After a week in which Mark Borders posted his first career double double, continued to lead the league in assists and helped his squad stay in the conference race, the University of Tampa sophomore guard was named Sunshine State player of the week.
Borders led the Spartans to a 2-1 record, with the lone blemish coming in a 71-69 loss at Eckerd, the defending South Region champion. In three games, Borders averaged 14 points, 8.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Borders had 15 points, 11 assists and five rebounds at Eckerd. He followed with 16 points, six assists and three steals in a 78-59 win at Saint Leo, then closed the week with 11 points and eight assists in a 74-62 win over Nova Southeastern.
Borders, who had 50 assists in December, also earned player of the week honors last month. He leads the SSC in overall assists and in the assists-to-turnover ratio. His play helped keep the Spartans among the top three in the standings at 2-1 in the SSC and 10-5 overall. UT trails Florida Southern (10-4, 4-0) and Rollins (12-3, 3-1). UT plays at Florida Tech tonight and hosts Rollins on Saturday .
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: After losing four of five games, UT rebounded with two wins, including its first SSC victory of the season 74-66 against Saint Leo. The Spartans (7-7) are 1-2 in the conference and in sixth. But UT has had solid play from senior forward Yushanda Morse, freshman guard Jamie Skinner, sophomore forward Vanessa Hubbard and freshman guard Shawtavia Mathis.
Morse averaged 13.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal to lead the Spartans to a 2-1 weekly mark. In an overtime loss to Eckerd, she posted 10 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. In a win against Saint Leo, Morse had 10 points and four rebounds and in a victory over Nova Southeastern, she notched her second double double (21 points, 11 rebounds) of the week.
Skinner played well against Saint Leo with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Spartans also were hot at the free-throw line against Saint Leo, with Hubbard (eight) and Mathis (10) making a combined 18-of-18. UT plays at Florida Tech tonight, hosts Rollins on Saturday and plays at rival Florida Southern on Tuesday.
SSC TV: For the first time, SSC men's basketball games can be seen by digital cable subscribers nationwide who have access to Fox Sports Digital Net. The Eckerd-Florida Tech men's game airs Monday on FSDN Atlantic at 9 p.m. Four other doubleheaders will air on Sunshine: Lynn at Rollins on Feb. 7, Barry at Saint Leo on Feb. 14, Florida Southern at UT on Feb. 25 and SSC men's and women's tournament championship games March 7. Rollins College will host the tournament.