Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – On the second day of the SSC/GSC Challenge, the Eckerd College men's basketball team defeated West Alabama, 82-78, on Sunday for their first win of the season.
Guard,
E.J. Moody came out of the gates on fire, scoring six of the Tritons first eight points of the contest, giving his team an early lead. Every time EC seemed to be pulling away, West Alabama would shoot their way back into a one or two point game.
Midway through the first half,
Ray Darnell hit back-to-back free throws putting Eckerd up by six. UWA hit a jumper, made a free throw and drained a big three bringing the score to 23-21 with EC holding a slim two point lead.
With just over six minutes left in the first half, West Alabama's Charles Eaton hit a go ahead three to give the Tigers their first lead of the game since the opening bucket. UWA held a five point lead with 2:30 left until halftime. The Tritons went on a 10-2 run that ended with a buzzer beating dunk from
Jerrick Stevenson to put EC up by two, 37-35, heading into the locker room.
Stevenson,
Trevon Young, and
Matt Beneduci all came out in the second half knocking down open shots. UWA kept it close hitting their shots, never letting the Tritons pull away.
With 15:45 remaining in regulation, EC held a six point lead, 46-40. The Tigers played tough defense getting within one point of the Tritons before Lleon Tillman put in a dunk to give his team their first lead of the second half, 51-50.
Eckerd didn't wait long to take back the lead with a two point jumper from Darnell. A three point basket from Benduci and a free throw from
Shane Phillips put the Tritons back up by five with less than 10 minutes to play.
A back and forth battle ensued down the stretch with the Tigers taking the lead, 68-65, with 4:30 remaining. EC stormed back with solid free throw shooting and a clutch three point shot from Moody to give Eckerd back the lead, 72-71, with under three minutes on the clock. UWA came within one point, but Eckerd held on in the final minute of play to bring home their first win of the season, 82-78.
Stevenson followed up his 18 point performance on Saturday with a 20 point outing on Sunday to go along with six steals and six assists.
Malcolm Brunner Jr. finished with 15 points while leading the team with seven rebounds.
"Glad to see us get that first win of the season," said Head Coach,
Tom Ryan. "Both teams battled very hard to go home with the victory. It was a great game."
Eckerd (1-1) will take a break from the regular season and head to Orlando, Fla. to take on the University of Central Florida. The exhibition contest will be on Thursday in CFE Arena with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.
