Fast Start Propels Tritons Past Palm Beach Atlantic

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd men's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, picking up its sixth straight win on Saturday after defeating Palm Beach Atlantic, 89-66.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 89, Palm Beach Atlantic 66
Records: Eckerd 9-1 (4-1 SSC); Palm Beach Atlantic 5-6 (2-3 SSC)
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 30-6

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Tritons wasted no time in taking control of the game, aggressively attacking the Sailfish zone defense to piece together runs of 11-0 and 16-2, emerging with a 28-point lead with 6:20 left in the first half.  Eckerd made 16 of its first 24 shots while building the lead and forced nine Palm Beach Atlantic turnovers on the opposite end of the floor.
• Eckerd's lead reached as many as 30 points in the first half following two Trevon Young free throws at the 4:01 mark.  The Sailfish rattled off seven unanswered points before Blake Morrow buried a 3-pointer to stop PBA from building any further momentum.  The teams then traded baskets for the remainder of the half as EC took a 57-32 lead into halftime.
• A 10-1 run early in the second half extended Eckerd's lead to 32 (67-35).  The team's offensive production slowed from that point forward, but the defense did not.  The lead never dipped below 22 points for the remainder of the game as the Tritons limited the Sailfish to 39.6 percent shooting.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Five players scored in double-figures, led by 21 points from Blake Morrow. Drushaun McLaurn added 18 while Trevon Young (16), Keshawn Ingram (11) and Myron Hagins (10) rounded out the team's top scorers.  It was the third time in the last four games in which Eckerd had five players score 10 or more points.
• The win moved Eckerd into a tie for second place in the Sunshine State Conference standings with Rollins at 4-1.
• The Tritons held a 39-29 advantage on the boards.  Eckerd has out-rebounded its opponent in nine of its 10 games so far this season.
• Eckerd also committed a season-low nine turnovers while forcing 16 and converting those Sailfish miscues into 24 points.

QUOTABLE
"When we get after it defensively, it gives us some confidence.  We were making plays and making shots, and that snowballs.  The guys are starting to see the things we've been preaching and getting more confidence in it." - EC head coach Tom Ryan

UP NEXT
Eckerd has over a week off from competition before taking part in the Florida Southern Classic on December 18-19.  The Tritons take on Dominican (N.Y.) College on the 18th at 5:30 PM.