Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd College men's basketball program used second-half separation to win its fourth straight and gradually pull away from Palm Beach Atlantic University on Saturday afternoon, 84-61.
The Tritons (17-6, 9-5 SSC) found breathing room on the strength of a 12-2 run to begin the final period after holding a four-point lead at halftime against the Sailfish (1-24 overall).
Junior guard
Alex Bodney scored a team-high 21 points and continued his torrid pace at the free throw line, sinking all 10 attempts. In his last eight games, Bodney is averaging an even 16 points per game while making a staggering 61 of his last 62 free throw attempts (over 98 percent).
Bodney scored seven points in the first four minutes of action, hitting a pair of threes and the game's opening field goal.
Senior guard
Woody Taylor flirted with a triple double, scoring 10 points, handing out nine assists and pulling in seven rebounds.
Senior forward
Darrien Mack officially moved into 14th all-time among career scoring leaders with a 17-point outing on 8-of-13 shooting.
The Tritons honored the 40th anniversary of the 1972-73 team at halftime, recognizing James Flagg, Ron Haskell, Joe Newton, Paul O'Halloran, Andy Younts and Head Coach Jim Harley, in attendance.
A video of the ceremony can be found
here.
Eckerd overcame a 30-point effort from Palm Beach Atlantic's Dante Valentine while leading scorer Marcus Hardy was held in check with eight.
Freshman
Jerrick Stevenson scored 13 points on a variety of impressive moves in transition to land in double figures.
The Tritons opened the game on a 12-5 run capped by a trey from Bodney, but the Sailfish seemingly had an answer for every offensive series and traded baskets until a 34-34 tie ensued with 1:12 before the break.
Inside the final minute, Bodney earned a trip to the line and sophomore forward
Malcolm Brunner Jr. beat the first-half buzzer on a find from Taylor with two seconds on the clock.
EC outscored PBA, 46-27, in the final 20 minutes of play as a 15-point lead was constructed in the first five minutes gone by in the second half.
Eckerd led by 20 for the first time with exactly 12 minutes left in regulation and enjoyed the largest lead of the game at 28 following a Roberts mid-range jumper.
Down the stretch, Eckerd's reserves rose to the challenge to preserve the large lead and received contributions down the line as
Dino Tabakovic,
Sammy O'Garro,
Nemo Rmus and
Kendall Roberts, all found the scoring column with good looks at the basket.
The Tritons have a big mid-week test in front of them as a trip to No. 16 Saint Leo University awaits on Wednesday. Eckerd will look to take down the Lions in the Bowman Center with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off scheduled in Saint Leo.
