WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – After an early lead was erased at halftime, the Eckerd men's basketball team battled neck and neck with Palm Beach Atlantic throughout the second half. The Tritons pulled away late thanks to a 7-0 run inside the final two minutes as Eckerd topped Palm Beach Atlantic, 97-90, Saturday afternoon in Rubin Arena.
Eckerd was sharp from beyond the arc in its SSC opener, knocking down 16 triples to set a new single-game program record.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 97, Palm Beach Atlantic 90
Records: Eckerd 3-1 (1-0 SSC); Palm Beach Atlantic 3-2 (0-1 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- The teams traded baskets over the opening three minutes before a Travis Bianco layup ignited a string of six straight points for EC putting them up 11-5 at the 15:01 mark. After a 3-pointer by PBA's Dan Largey, Bianco responded for the Tritons with back-to-back triples to open an 8-0 scoring run putting Eckerd up by 11.
- The Sailfish managed to pull within seven with 6:08 left, but a Kristiyan Stavrev triple put Eckerd back up by 10. Inside the final three minutes of the half, PBA went on a 13-0 scoring stretch to take a 46-41 lead with 1:22 left. Another Bianco 3-pointer ended the stretch as the Tritons entered the half trailing 48-45.
- An early layup by Bianco pulled Eckerd within one-point before PBA went on a 6-0 run to push in front by seven. The Sailfish' lead fluctuated between six to nine points over the next stretch before EC went on an 11-4 run capped by a Phillip Cirillo 3-pointer to tie the game at 72-72 with 9:06 left.
- Stavrev put Eckerd up by four (78-74) with a triple from the corner at the 6:23 mark. Eckerd held a slight advantage until Largey was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 2:59 left and made all three ensuing free throws to tie the game at 84-84. Bianco responded seconds later with a jumper at the top of the key to put the Tritons up 86-84. The Sailfish tied the game again at the 2:25 mark, but Eckerd went on a seven-point run over the next minute to create a late cushion as the Tritons went on to win 97-90.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- EC's 16 3-pointers set a new program record breaking the previous total of 14 in a single-game.
- Bianco led Eckerd with a career-high 26 points. He went 6-for-13 from beyond the arc.
- Three other Tritons reached double figures as Malcolm Whitlow posted 19 while Myron Hagins and Stavrev added 18 and 13, respectively.
- Whitlow and Stavrev led EC on the boards with seven rebounds each.
- Eckerd shot 52.3 percent from the floor and has now shot better than 50 percent in the last three games.
QUOTABLE
"It was an excellent road win for our team. I am proud of our players for the way they competed. It wasn't the best basketball we can play, but we found a way to win. Our team showed a lot of heart today," said head coach
Bryan Galuski. "The way we shot the ball was very impressive; Travis made some big-time shots down the stretch for us."
UP NEXT
Eckerd faces a quick turnaround hosting Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) tomorrow at 7:30 PM.
