Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Triggered by a 18-4 start to begin the evening, the Eckerd College men's basketball program emerged with another Sunshine State Conference victory on the road at Barry University Saturday night, 71-66.
Senior forward
Darrien Mack scored 30 points, one shy of his career high, to go with 13 rebounds and junior guard
Alex Bodney was a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line for the Tritons (15-6, 8-5 SSC).
Together, they combined for 43 of the team's 71 points. EC shot nearly 49 percent from the field while Barry was hindered by defensive pressure to the tune of 26.9 percent shooting in the first half (40 percent overall).
Bodney bumped his season free throw percentage up to an even 88 percent as he buried 13 points on the night. Mack was 11-of-16 from the field, one game removed from joining the 1,000-point club, and was close to equaling his personal-best total of 31 points netted against Paine (Ga.) College.
Magne Fivelstad led four Buccaneers (10-12, 4-9 SSC) in double figures with 18 points. Filip Toric scored 14, Vladimir Raymonvil added 13 and Justin McCoy contributed 12.
After engaging in a 4-4 tie, the Tritons gained their 18-4 lead in the first seven minutes of play. Barry missed five of six field goals in that span while the Tritons converted six of their first nine looks from the floor.
Sophomore forward
Malcolm Brunner Jr. beat the first-half buzzer with a basket to send the Tritons into halftime with a double-digit lead, 33-23.
The Buccaneers made their march early in the second half beginning with a three by Raymonvil just 15 seconds into the final period.
Out of the break, Barry went on an 18-8 run to tie things up at 41-41 with just nine minutes elapsed into the second half.
The Tritons snapped the fourth tie of the contest with 6:35 left in regulation, breaking a 51-51 tie with a 7-2 mini run for a lead the team wouldn't relinquish.
EC made all eight free throws in the final two minutes of play as Barry made its last push. The Buccaneers weren't able to get any closer than a three-point margin with 1:21 on the clock.
The Tritons return to their home floor on Wednesday in the McArthur Center, preparing for a showdown with SSC leading and No. 6 Florida Southern College for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
The Mocs prevailed earlier this season in Lakeland, 93-82, against the Tritons and have won 10 of their last 11 before coming to St. Petersburg.
