Box Score DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - In each of its last two games, the Eckerd men's basketball team saw double-digit leads slip away in the second half.
Tonight, though, was a bit of role reversal as the Tritons overcame a 10-point deficit on the way to a 70-68 win over Embry-Riddle on Saturday night.
Eckerd (2-2) outscored the Eagles, 27-15, over the last nine minutes of the game including a key 14-6 run that resulted in a two-point lead with 1:50 to play.
The Tritons struggled with getting shots to fall in the first half making just 6-of-23 attempts but found a groove in the second half shooting 52 percent from the floor. Eckerd also compensated for its cold spells by shooting free throws frequently, going 28-of-41 from the line. ERAU, by contrast, took only 13 free throws.
"We had some good ball movement [in the second half] that led to good scoring opportunities and fouls," said Eckerd head coach
Tom Ryan.
It was free throws down the stretch that helped Eckerd seal the victory. After
Blake Morrow's 3-pointer with just under two minutes left gave EC a 64-62 lead, the Tritons went 6-of-8 from the line including 3-of-4 from
Kevin Walsh in the final 11 seconds.
The Eagles (2-2) had a chance to win on a last-second 3-pointer from Dalton Barnes, but his attempt from near half court was off the mark.
It was unfamiliar territory for the Tritons in their first road game of the year as they trailed for the majority of the game. ERAU took its first lead of the game at 6-3 on a Brian Johnson 3-pointer two minutes in, and didn't relinquish it until
Shane Phillips' free throw with 2:37 left finally flipped the scoreboard in Eckerd's favor.
Eckerd saved its best for the end, making seven of its last 10 shots as part of the comeback. And, in the rare instance that a shot was missed, the Tritons hauled in the offensive rebound and converted six important second-chance points.
Ryan also praised his team's defense as a difference-maker late in the game, holding ERAU to just 5-of-15 shooting over the last seven minutes of play.
"We did a better job of keeping them out of the lane and contesting 3-point shots," he said.
Drushaun McLaurn and
Kevin Walsh each scored 18 points to lead Eckerd while
Trevon Young added 11. McLaurn also grabbed 10 rebounds to post his first double-double of the season and third of his career.
The Tritons return to the floor on Tuesday, hosting Division III Franklin (Ind.) College at 7:30 PM in the McArthur Center.
