ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A tight game quickly became a big lead for the Eckerd men's basketball team in their Saturday contest against Florida Tech in the McArthur Center.
The Tritons outscored the Panthers by 15 points over a six-minute stretch in the second half, turning a one-point lead into a 73-57 advantage with 4:24 to play.
Gianni Dailey, whose early shooting helped fuel EC's offense, canned a 3-pointer to begin the run while
Marquis Gilbert scored eight of the last 10 points of the stretch.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 87, Florida Tech 77
Records: Eckerd 15-4 (8-3 SSC); Florida Tech 8-11 (2-9 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- After falling behind early, Eckerd went on an 18-2 run midway through the first half to take a 30-18 lead with 6:45 to go. Â The Tritons scored baskets on seven of eight possessions during the run while forcing three turnovers and only allowing a pair of free throws.
- The lead didn't last long, however. Eckerd went cold from the floor, missing seven of its last eight shots of the half, aiding FIT in closing the half on a 17-2 run including 15 unanswered points. A pair of Nieja Jordan free throws sent the Panthers into halftime with a 35-32 lead.
- The Tritons briefly took the lead early in the second half after opening on a 7-0 run. The teams swapped the lead twice and sat tied at 48-48 with 11:00 left. A Drushaun McLaurn layup on EC's next possession gave the Tritons the lead for good, and that lead soon became more comfortable after Eckerd went on an extended 23-8 run to take control of the game.
- The Panthers made a handful of late 3-pointers to close the gap but never got inside single digits the rest of the way. Eckerd navigated the Florida Tech pressure to generate dunks by both Shaquille Harris and McLaurn to help secure the victory.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- McLaurn bounced back from a string of uncharacteristic outings with a 22-point, 8-rebound effort. It was the sixth time this season that the senior reached the 20-point mark in a game.
- Myron Hagins posted his second double-double of the week with 19 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
- Marco Behori tied a career-high with 11 rebounds and dished out eight assists for the second time this week.
- Gilbert finished the night with 13 points, eight of which came during Eckerd's decisive run, while Dailey had 14 points and a career-best seven assists.
- Eckerd's team total of 24 assists tied its season high. EC also had 24 assists against Florida Tech on December 1 in Melbourne, Florida.
UP NEXT
The Tritons begin a two-game conference road swing on Wednesday with a trip to Saint Leo for a 7:30 PM tipoff.
