AUBURN, Ala. – The Eckerd men's basketball team got a preseason tune-up against one of the top teams in the country Friday night in an exhibition at Auburn (Ala.) - who made a Division I Final Four appearance last season.
The Tigers controlled the game in the first half, but Eckerd showed its historically strong defensive presence by holding Auburn to just three points in the first five minutes of the second half. Eckerd used a 9-1 run during the early stretch of the second half before the Tigers took control of the game and went on to win 97-53.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Auburn 97, Eckerd 53
KEY MOMENTS
- Travis Bianco knocked down a 3-pointer from the left side in the first minute to put Eckerd on top 3-2. The Tigers followed with a 12-0 run before Shaquille Harris made a jumper to end the Auburn scoring run.
- AU went ahead 28-9 at the midway point of the first half. Malcolm Whitlow narrowed the gap for the Tritons with five straight points capped by a triple from the right side.
- The Tigers went on an 11-0 run within the final four minutes of the half before Doug Williams, Jr. made a 3-pointer from the top of the key to stop the streak. O'Shane Taylor-Douglas made a layup just before the half as Eckerd entered halftime down 57-25.
- EC started the second half aggressively, utilizing a 9-1 run, including back-to-back triples by Admir Radoncic and Myron Hagins. Eckerd's offense cooled off over the next three minutes but held the Tigers to just four points throughout the stretch.
- Auburn controlled the tempo over the remainder of the half with a 25-7 scoring run. Eckerd managed to prevent the Tigers from making a field goal for the final 2:29 of the game as the Tritons fell 97-53.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Hagins led Eckerd with 12 points while Radoncic and Taylor-Douglas posted eight points each.
- Bianco led EC on the boards with seven.
- Freshman Malcolm Whitlow dished out four assists in his first game.
UP NEXT
Eckerd opens the season next Saturday, November 9, at the SSC-GSC Crossover in Livingston, Ala. playing West Alabama at 8:00 PM.
