Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Senior forward
Darrien Mack scored 17 of his team-high 20 points in the second half and the Eckerd College men's basketball program rallied from a pair of double-digit deficits in each frame to defeat No. 22 University of Tampa on Wednesday night, 73-70.
Senior guard
Woody Taylor scored nine of his 11 points at critical moments in the second half, junior guard
Josh Snodgrass scored 14 (9-for-9 at the free throw line) and junior guard
Alex Bodney recorded 12.
Mack, the reigning Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week presented by VALIC, gave the Tritons their final lead in a back-and-forth second half by barreling into a wall of defenders and banking in a tough runner with 34 seconds left.
Mack was 7-of-9 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds, tying for the team lead with senior
Walade Wade.
With Tampa holding a four-point lead with 1:31 remaining in regulation, the Spartans missed four consecutive free throws that kept the window of opportunity open down the stretch.
On the other end, Taylor made the Spartans pay and was fouled on a long-range attempt at the top of the key, calmly sinking all three free throws to make it a one-point game, 70-69, with just over a minute left.
Eckerd took the lead on its next possession after a Griffis miss and Taylor forced Foster into a turnover as he turned up the court with four precious seconds left on the clock.
The Tritons (7-3, 1-2 SSC) finished the game on a 16-3 run in the final seven minutes of play.
The Tritons also earned their first conference win after coming up on the short end of decisions against Rollins College and Nova Southeastern University.
Eckerd trailed by as many as 14 in the first half following a 23-9 run to open the game by the Spartans (12-2, 0-2 SSC), capped with a ferocious one-handed dunk on the break by Foster.
UT's guard tandem of Foster and Anthony Griffis combined for 45 points, finishing with 22 and 23, respectively. Griffis pocketed 18 of his 23 in the first half before being saddled with foul trouble in the final period.
A heady play by Snodgrass allowed him to cash in on three straight free throws before the first-half buzzer sounded as he leaned into the body of Griffis to draw contact.
Bodney ignited the Tritons after halftime with a three and driving layup in transition, but following a 13-5 run midway through the second half, the Spartans were up by 10 once again.
A long three by Taylor with a hand in his face cut the deficit to six with 2:05 to play and the senior floor general answered a Foster triple with one of his own earlier in the half that swung the lead to the Tritons again, 50-49.
Eckerd will be back in action this weekend on the road at Florida Tech, taking on the Panthers in Melbourne for a Saturday matchup at 4 p.m.
