ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For most of the game, the Eckerd men's basketball team held the lead over No. 5/12 Barry University on Saturday afternoon.
However, the Tritons could not grow the lead to a comfortable enough margin, as the Bucs closed the gap late and held off Eckerd in the final minute for a 93-89 win in the McArthur Center.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: #5/12 Barry 93, Eckerd 89
Records: Eckerd 3-1 (1-1 SSC), Barry 2-0 (1-0 SSC)
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 44-12
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Eckerd shot the ball extremely well from the outset, making 10 of its first 13 field goal attempts on the way to a 23-14 lead at the 11:42 mark of the first half. Barry, likewise, connected on a high percentage of its shots enabling the team to stay close, but the Tritons maintained the lead throughout the rest of the first half. Barry pulled within a point on two occasions only to see the Tritons answer, first on a 3-pointer by Blake Morrow and later on a tip-in by Drushaun McLaurn. The Tritons shot a scorching 62.1 percent from the floor in the half and took a 51-46 lead into the break.
- EC continued to keep its hot hand early in the second half. After Barry's Sunday Dech made a 3-pointer to open the half, the Tritons went on a 14-4 run to take their largest lead of the game (65-53) with 15:39 left. Eckerd knocked down five of its first six shots of the half, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Keshawn Ingram and Marco Behori.
- The Tritons' lead was still at eight points with 12:01 to play following a 3-pointer by Travis Bianco, but a 9-0 run by Barry resulted in its first lead since the 14:39 mark of the first half. The teams then swapped the lead three times over the next four minutes until Eckerd went on its own 9-0 run, taking an 82-76 lead with 4:32 left.
- The Buccaneers responded with eight unanswered points, reclaiming a one-point lead with 1:50 to go, only to see Ingram drain a 3-pointer. After Barry's Johannes Dolven made a layup, Blake Morrow connected on another triple to give Eckerd an 88-86 lead with just over a minute to play. The last minute, however, belonged to Barry. Sunday Dech's 3-pointer with 50 seconds left gave the Bucs the lead for good. Barry scored on its last three possessions, finishing the game on a 7-1 run to hold on for the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Both teams shot well over 50 percent from the floor in the game, and each had a half surpassing 60 percent. The Tritons made 62.1 percent of their field-goal attempts in the first half while Barry shot 63.0 percent in the second half.
- McLaurn had a monster game with 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting. He scored 17 in the first half. Ingram tied his career-high with 19 points.
- The Tritons forced 18 turnovers and had 12 steals, led by Behori with a career-best six swipes.
- Three of Eckerd's last four games against Barry have been decided by four points or fewer.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to the hardwood in the McArthur Center on Wednesday, November 22, hosting Puerto-Rico Bayamon at 7:30 PM.
