Box Score
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Brett Chance scored 17 points while University of Florida transfers Adam Allen and Kyle McClanahan each netted 13 as Rollins College defeated the Eckerd College men's basketball program in its Sunshine State Conference opener on Saturday, 73-45.
The Tars (4-1, 1-0 SSC) led by as many as 40 and took the Tritons (2-1, 0-1 SSC) out of their comfort zone, connecting often from deep for 11 three-point field goals.
Juniors
Alex Bodney and
Junior McLeod each scored seven points to lead EC in the box score.
The Tritons shot just over 30 percent from the field and were held to their lowest scoring output in eight years since 2005 when Eckerd put up 43 against Florida Southern College on Feb. 19.
Following the energy of the women's win just minutes after the tip, the Tritons struggled to get their offense tracked while the Tars clicked from the opening whistle.
Rollins opened with a 12-4 run, but after a pair of free throws by McLeod at the 12:11 juncture in the first half, the Tritons went ice cold without a point for the next eight minutes.
In the midst of the Eckerd offensive dry spell, the Tars extended their advantage to lead by 20 at 26-6 before freshman
Jerrick Stevenson made a free throw.
EC struggled to the tune of 13 first-half points and went into the break down by a 22-point margin.
The Tritons came out of halftime on a 5-0 run after a jumper by
Malcolm Brunner Jr. and a three-point play by senior
Darrien Mack.
But Rollins' Jeff Dirkin triggered a 16-2 run with another three to bury the newfound Eckerd momentum, his team's fifth triple at that time.
After erupting for 18 points in the first half alone against Palm Beach Atlantic University earlier this week, Allen knocked down three treys in the midst of the 16-2 run.
Going after an acrobatic block, Brunner Jr. collided violently with RC's Dave Diakite in midair on a dunk attempt at the peak of their impressive vertical leaps. Diakite, already with a reputation as a high flyer, was a finalist for ESPN2's Dunk of the Year last season.
The Eckerd reserves came in for the final five minutes and made a good impression with hustle and heady play.
Sophomore guard
Dino Tabakovic drilled a three-point basket from the corner while being knocked down to complete a rare four-point play.
Sophomore
Nemo Rmus and freshman
Ray Darnell each pulled in a pair of offensive boards and combined to go 3-for-3 from the field.
The Tritons will look to right the ship in the St. Petersburg Sports Alliance Series in the McArthur Center later this month, welcoming Shaw (N.C.) University, Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) University and Tuskegee (Ala.) University for games on the 15th, 17th and 19th, of December.
