Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There have been two main strengths of the Eckerd men's basketball team this season, according to head coach
Tom Ryan - depth and defense.
Those two strengths played a major role again tonight as the No. 7/6 Tritons kept their winning streak in tact with a 70-56 victory over Lynn University in the McArthur Center.
Eckerd (15-1, 7-0 SSC) posted its 15th straight win, continuing to add to its program record and NCAA Division II leading total.
"Depth has really helped us put different combinations out there," Ryan said. "Tonight when Lynn went big, we were able to go big. When they went with a smaller lineup, we were able to match their quickness. We have a good balance of inside and outside."
That balance was again evident tonight as five players scored eight or more points. The Tritons shot 50 percent from 3-point range, and even inside presences like
Trevon Young and
Obi Kyei showed their ability to stretch a defense by each knocking down a triple.
The stifling defense was also a huge factor as Eckerd held the Fighting Knights (7-7, 2-6 SSC) to nearly 30 points below their season average entering the game.
"If we want to have long-term success," said Ryan, "it will be due to our defense. Our guys are really starting to believe that."
After a tight first 10 minutes, the Tritons began to gain some separation on the scoreboard via a 13-2 run that gave EC a 12-point lead with 5:44 to go in the first half. The lead grew to 15 by halftime, then to 20 early in the second half.
Lynn, though, hung around long enough to get back within nine points with 5:11 to play after knocking down three consecutive 3-pointers.
Freshman
Marco Behori put a stop to the run with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead back into double-digits, and it stayed there for the remainder of the game.
Young and
Drushaun McLaurn both scored 12 points to lead Eckerd while
Kevin Walsh added 10. Defensively, the Tritons limited Lynn to 35.6 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers.
No matter the record or position in the conference standings of their opponents, Ryan expects every game to be a battle.
"There is no one in this league that cannot ruin what we are trying to accomplish," he said. "Hopefully we can continue our mindset of the next game we play being the most important one and not getting ahead of ourselves."
Eckerd's next game is indeed an important one as the Tritons host No. 23 Barry University (12-2, 5-1 SSC) on Saturday at 4:00 PM in a top 25 matchup.
