Box Score
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Junior forward
Darrien Mack scored 20 points in just 21 minutes and the Eckerd College men's basketball program cruised past non-conference opponent Palm Beach Atlantic University on Saturday afternoon, 78-47.
Starting guards
Wayne Sears Jr. and
Josh Snodgrass tallied 11 apiece and
Drew Fenstermaker added nine.
Woody Taylor scored six and contributed team-high totals in both rebounds (nine) and assists (four).
The Tritons (10-4 overall), winners of five of their last six, shot a blistering 58.3 percent from the field, including a 60-percent clip in the second half alone. Eckerd carried a 20-point lead by halftime.
The Tritons took a page out of the women's script in the game prior, holding the Sailfish (3-14 overall) to paltry field-goal percentages and neutralizing their opponent's effectiveness beyond the arc. PBA managed just seven made baskets in the first half and shot a woeful 1-for-17 from long range.
After the Tritons' women held the Sailfish to just 15 first half points, the men were pretty close to matching by limiting PBA to 18.
“Our intensity on defense was very good most of the game,” EC Head Coach
Tom Ryan said. “We gave up too many offensive rebounds and didn't shoot too well from the foul line, but our talk and rotation on defense was good tonight.”
Mack led the team in scoring for the third game this year in his reserve role. He shredded the Sailfish defense from long range, mid-range and around the rim, connecting on 7-of-10 attempts from the field.
Fenstermaker also made his presence felt off the bench, drilling a pair of three-point field goals and collecting a trio of steals in his 19 minutes of court time.
“Darrien knocked down some shots and did his normal stuff around the rim,” Ryan said. “He played with high energy and was very active.”
The Tritons broke open an early 4-4 tie with an 11-2 run just past the midway point in the first half. Taylor and Fenstermaker ripped the cords from deep on back-to-back possessions (both assisted by Sears Jr.) as the EC lead swelled to 15.
While the Sailfish were credited with the first two baskets of the game, PBA's offense went ice cold with just five more field goals until halftime.
Mack capped off the half with a steal and slam dunk.
Thanks to another dunk and layup from Mack, the Tritons reeled off a 9-4 run to begin the final period. The Sailfish offense was dormant for a near five-minute span as three different sets of subs made their way on the court.
On consecutive possessions, Mack threw down another dunk and made a three as EC extended its lead to 31 with eight minutes and change remaining.
Eckerd is back in Sunshine State Conference action next Wednesday, playing host to Saint Leo University with a scheduled 7:30 p.m. tip-off in the McArthur Center.
For various reasons, Mack, Taylor and senior
Lance Kearse (five points, six rebounds), have been fetching recent headlines in the news. To catch up on the upperclassmen trio, click the following links below.
Q&A With Darrien Mack
Taylor Promotes NCAA Div. II Athletics Campaign
Kearse Overcoming Sickle Cell Trait (WTSP Channel 10)
