Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Senior forward
Lance Kearse scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half and the Eckerd College men's basketball program shot over 58 percent from the field to take down Tuskegee (Ala.) University, 84-70, at the St. Petersburg Sports Alliance Classic on Saturday.
Kearse finished 8-of-10 from the field, including a perfect 6-for-6 in the second half, which featured a display of his aerial creativity above the rim.
In the final period alone, Kearse flushed down a reverse two-handed slam, completed an alley-oop worthy of the highlight reels and knifed through the defense in transition for several more dunks.
The Tritons (5-2, 1-1 SSC) were again strong on the defensive end, holding the Golden Tigers (1-3, 1-2 SIAC) to a shade over 36 percent shooting. Eckerd overcame a season-high 21 turnovers by coming up with 10 steals on the other end and wreaked havoc in the passing lanes, indicated by four steals by Wayne Sears Jr.
Eckerd also won the battle on the glass, 39-33, tying its season-best team rebound total.
Four players ended up scoring in double digits for the Tritons, including 13 by Sears Jr., 11 from
Darrien Mack off the bench and 10 more from
Alex Bodney. Mack completed the double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds.
Eckerd and Tuskegee tussled through three ties in the first eight minutes of play and a
Josh Snodgrass three-point bucket tied the game yet again, 23-23, this time at the 7:04 mark in the first half.
Snodgrass, a transfer from American University and the University of North Florida, scored six points in his first game of the season.
Eckerd snapped the 23-23 stalemate with a 10-0 run and enjoyed an eight-point lead at halftime. The Tritons' bench outscored the Golden Tigers' reserves, 17-0, in the first half.
After Tuskegee narrowed the gap to four shortly after the second half was underway, Eckerd answered right back with an 11-0 run that was capped by one of Kearse's dunks to stretch the lead to 15.
The Tritons enjoyed their largest lead of the game (19-point margin) following a free throw by
Woody Taylor with 2:06 remaining.
Eckerd fired at a 64-percent clip (18-for-28) from the field in the final period.
Calvin Thomas led the Golden Tigers with 24 points. Garland Robertson connected on four treys to account for all of his 12 while TU's leading scorer Joshua Eichelberger (11 points) was held to eight points below his season average.
The Tritons wrap up the St. Petersburg Sports Alliance Classic tomorrow afternoon against No. 9 West Liberty (W.V.) University at 2 p.m.
