ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In a night that consisted of scoring runs, a late surge by the Eckerd men's basketball team came up just short in a 72-66 loss to Bemidji State (Minn.) on the final day of the Thanksgiving Classic Saturday night in the McArthur Center.
After a slow first half for both teams, the Beavers used a 10-point run to build a comfortable lead early in the second half. Eckerd responded to even the score with under eight minutes left, but BSU followed with another scoring run to take a nine-point cushion. The Tritons rallied to pull within two inside the final minute but were unable to make up the difference.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Bemidji State 72, Eckerd 66
Records: Eckerd 4-3; Bemidji State 3-2
KEY MOMENTS
- Eckerd took an early 8-5 lead before BSU rolled off nine straight points to take a 14-8 lead. The Beavers stretched their lead to nine points before Eckerd went on a 9-2 scoring run to pull within two points at 24-22 with 6:34 left. Malcolm Whitlow accounted for seven of EC's points during the run.
- BSU pulled back out by five, but the Tritons followed with a 7-2 run to even the score at 29-29 with 2:22 left. Both teams went quiet from the floor over the rest of the half as they entered the break tied at 29.
- Travis Bianco laid in a basket to open the second half giving Eckerd a brief two-point lead before the Beavers scored 10 consecutive points to take a 42-33 lead. The Tritons followed with a run of eight straight points to pull within one at 42-41 with 11:30 left.
- A dunk by Bianco on a steal and score tied the game at 53-53 at the 7:32 mark. BSU answered with a Nick Wagner triple to regain the lead. Over the ensuing three minutes, Bemidji State went on a 10-3 run to take a nine-point lead with just over four minutes left. EC rallied with a 9-2 run and pulled within two points on a traditional 3-point play by Whitlow with 24 seconds left. However, BSU made all four free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Whitlow posted a career-high 22 points while playing the full 40 minutes. He also dished out five assists while grabbing six rebounds.
- Myron Hagins posted his sixth career double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. His 21 points are one shy of his career-high.
- Bianco rounded out Eckerd's double-figure scorers with 11 points.
- The Tritons shot 35.7 percent from the floor, which is their second-lowest shooting percentage this season.
QUOTABLE
"We struggled to make shots tonight and I credit Bemidji State for that," said head coach
Bryan Galuski. "To win games like tonight, we must convert down the stretch and get defensive stops."
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to the McArthur Center Wednesday night against SSC foe Tampa for a 7:30 PM tipoff.
