Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd College men's basketball team emerged on top in a close-matched win over Palm Beach Atlantic University, 68-63, for its third straight victory on Saturday night at the McArthur Center.
The Tritons evened the season series to begin the month of February after the Sailfish (8-13 overall) had the slight upper hand in an early December meeting in West Palm Beach.
Both teams bounced back and forth in the lead during the first half of play, with neither team ahead by more than two possessions.
Eckerd (12-8, 4-4 SSC) entered the second half in the lead by one, 34-33, and increased its margin by as much as seven on a three-pointer from sophomore
Jerrick Stevenson with 9:24 left in the game.
With just 4:39 remaining, a jumper from PBA's Garet Tucker put the Sailfish ahead by one, 58-57. But PBA's time on top would be short-lived as senior
Alex Bodney sank a go-ahead trey with 1:47 left that give the Tritons the edge it would need.
Bodney was one of five student-athletes from District V to be named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District First Team earlier this week.
After Bodney's triple, a rare sequence followed where both teams were fouled on a three-point attempt around the final minute of play.
Eckerd's
E.J. Moody cashed in on two of his three shots and PBA's Clayton Williams did the same. EC's
Ray Darnell split a trip to the line with 11 seconds left after the Sailfish misfired on a pair of quick shots with time winding down.
There were a total of seven ties and eight lead changes on the night as Eckerd shot over 45 percent from the floor.
Stevenson led the Tritons in scoring with 17 points, including multiple three-point baskets several steps beyond the line, and added seven rebounds.
Junior
Malcolm Brunner Jr. totaled 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and swatted four shots, including one on the baseline that forced a key shot clock violation late, and senior
Josh Snodgrass tallied 14 points to round out Eckerd's top scorers.
PBA's Ronnell Ross led all scorers with 18 points.
Eckerd will resume Sunshine State Conference play on Wednesday, Feb. 3, as it travels to Nova Southeastern University in a game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale.
The Tritons toppled the Sharks by a 12-point margin in the first meeting, their SSC opener on Jan. 4, at the McArthur Center.
