SAINT LEO, Fla. - Needing to run the table just to keep its postseason hopes alive, the Eckerd Tritons (12-14, 4-11 SSC) received a clutch three by freshman swingman
Kornilous Donnell with 10 seconds left to force an extra session en route to a come-from-behind 84-77 overtime victory over the Saint Leo Lions (14-15, 7-9 SSC) on Wednesday night at the Marion Bowman Activities Center.
Despite holding up its end of the bargain, Eckerd did not receive help that it needed to stay alive as, just moments after the final buzzer sounded in Saint Leo, the Florida Tech Panthers were putting the finishing touches on a win over the Nova Southeastern Sharks in Davie, Fla., thus mathematically eliminating the Tritons from postseason contention.
In the first half, things looked bleak for the Tritons as SLU's Quentin Cullop scored on a jumper to make it 14-6 before the Lions pushed their lead to 30-17, following a Cullop three, with 3:44 to play.
Eckerd would go on to out-score the Lions 15-7 for the remainder of the half with a three by Wayne Sears with two seconds left, trimming Saint Leo's lead to 37-32 going into halftime.
In the second half, a fastbreak dunk by Saint Leo's Kyle Rowland made it 62-52 with 5:42 to go, but the Tritons would not let that deter them as a layup by
Lewis Lampley pushed Eckerd to a 8-2 run, slicing Saint Leo's lead to 64-60 with 2:03 left.
After Cullop hit a pair of free throws to make it a six-point game,
Joey Cantens answered with a three to make it 66-63 with 1:26 left. The Tritons then forced a turnover before
Adio Mutima would connect on his second dunk of the night to make it a one point game.
Saint Leo's Anthony Gomez went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe to regain a three-point lead with 28 seconds left but an offensive board by Cantens set up Donnell for the game-tying three, sending the game into overtime.
In the extra session, Lampley scored three baskets to help push the Tritons to a 78-73 lead with 1:55 to go. The Eckerd defense then did the rest, holding Saint Leo to just four points, and one field goal, the rest of the way, giving the Tritons the seven-point victory.
For the game, Eckerd out-shot Saint Leo 43.3 percent from the field to 39 percent while the Triton bench out-scored Saint Leo's reserves, 43-17.
Eckerd will return to the hardwood on Saturday, February 28 as it hosts the Rollins Tars in the Tritons' 2008-09 finale. Prior to the game, the Tritons will recognize its senior class for its contributions to the program.