DAVIE – Despite a team-high 15 points from Kyannah Grant (Navajo/Choctaw) and a first quarter spark from Skyla Osceola (Seminole Tribe of Florida), the Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team fell to Florida Southern College, 69-67, in a Sunshine State Conference quarterfinal Feb. 28 in Davie.

Florida Southern, seeded No. 5 in the tournament, advanced to face No. 1 Tampa in a semifinal.

NSU, which was seeded fourth, awaits the NCAA Division II selection show on Sunday. The Sharks have been one of the top teams in the conference all year. Their 21-8 record includes a 14-1 start, however, the loss to Florida Southern was their fourth setback in a row.

NSU fell behind 8-2 in the quarterfinal, but Osceola, from the Hollywood Reservation, provided an energetic lift coming off the bench. She hit a jump shot to tie it 8-8, had a steal and dished out a couple of assists as the Sharks surged to a 22-17 lead after one quarter.

NSU shot 60 percent from the field in the first quarter, but struggled in the middle stanzas, shooting less than 30 percent. Florida Southern, meanwhile, found its scoring touch and turned a nine-point deficit into a five-point lead at halftime thanks to a 21-9 run.

Florida Southern built its own nine-point cushion early in the fourth quarter before Grant turned her game up another notch. She hit a three-pointer that tied it at 61-61 with six minutes remaining and then made a pair of free throws and a layup to give NSU a 67-63 lead with 2:20 left.

Florida Southern rallied to tie it at 67-67 and went ahead for good with 11 seconds left on two free throws from Sydney Gomes. A last-second shot by NSU on an in-bounds pass came up short.

Grant’s 15 points was her second highest total this season. She also had a steal and three rebounds. Her twin sister, Kyarrah, had nine points, two rebounds and two steals. Osceola finished with five points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. She played 15 minutes, nearly all of it coming in the first half.