Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – In their season opener, the Eckerd College men's basketball team fell to No. 13 Delta State, 89-77, on Saturday in the first game of the SSC/GSC Challenge.
Both teams opened up the contest by trading three point baskets. EC and DSU would go back and forth early on in the first half with each team hitting their open shots.
Down 24-20 midway through the first half,
Jerrick Stevenson hit back to back free throws followed by a layup from
Brian Cobb to knot it up, 24-24. The Statesmen then went on a 12-2 run to create separation between the two teams going up 36-26 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The EC defense allowed only six more points in the final minutes before heading to the locker room.
Trevon Young was able to add three points with a layup and a free throw before the first half came to an end with the Tritons trailing, 42-33.
Eckerd took the lead four different times in the first 20 minutes of the contest.
E.J. Moody and Stevenson ended the first half with nine points each.
Young scored the first points of the second half for Eckerd keeping them within 10. The Statesmen would then go on a small scoring spree stretching their lead to 17, up 54-37. EC battled back with buckets by Moody and Stevenson to get the Tritons within eight.
Eckerd would stay within eight points of DSU before the Statesmen began to pull away in the final minutes taking the game, 89-77.
Moody ended up 8 for 9 from the free throw line totaling a team high and career best, 24 points. Stevenson and Young also finished the game in double-digits with 18 and 14 points respectively.
"We worked very hard against a very good team," said Head Coach,
Tom Ryan. "We need to improve on our execution on both ends of the floor and we will be fine."
The second day of the Challenge pits the Tritons against the University of West Alabama. The game on Sunday will begin at 2 p.m.
