Tritons Power Past Palm Beach Atlantic in Regular Season Finale

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Eckerd men's basketball team used a strong rebounding presence to help offset a below-average shooting performance as the Tritons closed the regular season with an 81-69 win over Palm Beach Atlantic.

Eckerd finished like a veteran team, outscoring the Sailfish 24-14 over the last 6:30 of the game including a 14-4 run that helped put the game away.

The win locked up the No. 2 seed in next week's Sunshine State Conference tournament.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 81, Palm Beach Atlantic 69
Records: Eckerd 21-6 (14-6 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic 15-16 (9-11 SSC)
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 31-6

KEY MOMENTS

• Both teams started slowly on offense, a trend that carried throughout the first half as both shot below 40 percent from the floor.  Eckerd led for most of the half but never by more than seven and rarely more than five. PBA took a 28-27 lead with 43 seconds to go in the half but a pair of Blake Morrow free throws followed by a steal and layup by Shaquille Harris gave the Tritons a 31-28 lead at halftime.
• Keshawn Ingram and Marco Behori scored EC's first seven points of the second half as the lead grew to nine (39-30) with 15:04 to play.
• PBA fought back to tie the game twice and still trailed by only two points with 6:43 to play.  However, the Tritons got six straight points from Drushaun McLaurn and a 3-pointer from Travis Bianco to push the lead to eight. Trevon Young followed with two free throws and a 3-pointer to cap a 14-4 run that grew the lead to 12 with 3:50 left.
• The Sailfish managed to get back within seven points on two occasions but failed to get a defensive stop afterward as McLaurn and Young both converted at the rim to keep the lead at nine.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Young had another impressive performance with 24 points and 17 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season.  The 17 rebounds tied his career high.
• The Tritons were nearly perfect from the free throw line, going 19-of-20 in the game and 12-for-12 in the second half.
• Eckerd dominated the boards, outrebounding the Sailfish 44-28.  The Tritons converted 15 offensive rebounds into 20 second-chance points.
• Four players scored in double figures including Marco Behori who tied his career-high with 15 points.

UP NEXT
These two teams will meet again at Eckerd on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the SSC Tournament.  Last year, the Sailfish advanced to the tournament title game as the No. 5 seed.