Box Score LIVINGSTON, Ala. - Keshawn Ingram didn't have a second to waste.
And waste it he didn't, knocking down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to force overtime as the Eckerd men's basketball team scored an 82-78 win over the University of West Alabama on Saturday afternoon at the GSC-SIAC-SSC Challenge.
"We found the beginnings of an identity today," said Eckerd head coach
Tom Ryan. "It can be hard finding the right chemistry early in the season. We had some young kids step up and make nice plays down the stretch."
Down by three with eight seconds to go, the Tritons got
Jerrick Stevenson open at the top of the key for a potential game-tying shot. He missed, but
Obi Kyei snagged the offensive rebound and quickly kicked the ball to Ingram in the left corner. The sophomore had barely enough time to set his feet, much less get the shot off before the buzzer sounded. The ball left his hand just a few tenths of a second before the clock expired.
Moments later, Ingram was swarmed by his teammates after giving the Tritons another chance.
Once in overtime, Eckerd (1-1) made good on its new life taking the lead for good on a Stevenson 3-pointer with 3:45 to play. The senior scored eight of his team-high 22 points in overtime.
Free throw shooting down the stretch was huge for the Tritons, who made eight in a row over the final three minutes to preserve the lead.
"We executed in overtime and got the ball into people's hands that were open," Ryan said. "We had guys make some plays on both ends."
The Tritons never trailed in the first half and led by as many as 10 points before taking a 31-28 lead into halftime. But the Tigers (1-1) scored the first six points of the second half to take the lead, which they held for the majority of the half. Eckerd only led once for the remainder of regulation after an Ingram jumper in the lane with 4:51 to play.
However, UWA was never able to pull away either as the Tritons stayed within a possession or two of the lead for most of the half and set the stage for Ingram's clutch shot.
The late-game heroics denied UWA head coach Allen Sharpe his 300th career win.
Stevenson scored all 22 of his points after halftime while going 9-of-10 from the line.
E.J. Moody added 14 points while
Trevon Young had 13. Kyei and Ingram both chipped in 10.
"I was happy with how hard we played both nights," Ryan said. "It gave us confidence that we can be successful."
The Tritons return to the floor on Wednesday to host Saint Leo at 7:30 PM in the Sunshine State Conference opener.
