Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Missed opportunities at the free-throw line combined with second-half shooting woes turned out to be part of the Eckerd College men's basketball team's struggles as it fell to Tuskegee (Ala.) University, 71-63, on Wednesday night.
Eckerd went to the line to attempt a season-high 41 shots at the charity stripe, and while it sank nearly 69 percent from the line, misses would come back to haunt the Tritons (5-4, 0-0 SSC) in the final minutes of the game.
The Tritons shot just a shade under 21 percent from the floor in the second half and at a 33.3 percent clip for the game.
Eckerd led throughout much of the first half, but Tuskegee kept picking away at its lead.
With 5:32 remaining in the first half, senior
Alex Bodney sank a free throw to give the Tritons their largest lead at five, but a trey from Camden Foster put the Golden Tigers (3-5, 0-0 SIAC) ahead by one at the conclusion of the half.
Eckerd was able to reclaim the lead in the second half, but a Charles Savoy layup gave Tuskegee a 61-60 lead with five minutes remaining for the final lead change of the night.
Tuskegee was able to hold onto its lead aided by a slew of fouls that sent it to the line eight times to result in 10 points in the final six minutes.
The Golden Tigers went to the line just four times in the first half as part of their 25 total attempts and shot 72 percent from the line overall.
A pair of different three-point plays converted in the paint down the stretch in the second half helped the Golden Tigers sustain the decisive lead in crunch time.
Sophomore
Jerrick Stevenson led the Tritons with 15 points, while Bodney (14), sophomore
E.J. Moody (12), and sophomore
Ray Darnell (10) added double-digit scoring.
Senior Richard Dixon led Tuskegee in scoring with 19 points and fell one rebound short of a double-double.
The Tritons will travel to Tampa on Saturday to begin play in the University of Tampa Classic against Pfeiffer (N.C.) University at 2 p.m. EST. Live stats will be available for the afternoon contest.
