Sailfish Use Late Run to Defeat Cold-Shooting Tritons

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Suffering through one of its worst shooting performances of the season, the Eckerd men's basketball team couldn't find an answer late in the contest as Palm Beach Atlantic pulled away in the final five minutes to knock off the Tritons on Saturday.

The Tritons managed to shoot just 35.5 percent from the floor, its third-lowest of the season, and 28.6 percent from 3-point range. Worse, Eckerd only got to the free throw line four times, a season low, taking away the chance to overcome an off night from the field.

Eckerd led by one at 52-51 with 4:30 to play, but the Sailfish closed the game on a 14-2 run as the Tritons missed their final nine shots.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Palm Beach Atlantic 65, Eckerd 54
Records: Eckerd 17-7 (10-6 SSC); Palm Beach Atlantic 11-13 (7-9 SSC)

KEY MOMENTS

• Eckerd battled back from an early six-point deficit and led by as many as seven points in the first half thanks to an 11-1 run capped by six straight points from Myron Hagins.  The Tritons led for the remainder of the half, though both teams struggled to create much on the offensive end, resulting in a 29-24 EC lead at halftime.
• The Tritons held the lead for the first 10 minutes of the second half before PBA's Caleb Edwards tied the game at 40-40 at the 10:03 mark.
• The teams swapped the lead six times over the next five minutes before a 3-pointer by Bakari Warthen put the Sailfish ahead for good with 4:23 left. It triggered a 14-2 run to close the game as Eckerd only mustered two Shaquille Harris free throws in the final five minutes.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• The loss was Eckerd's first to an unranked team since falling to Virginia State on November 23.
• The Tritons shot just 27.3 percent (9-for-33) in the second half and 4-for-15 inside the 3-point arc.
• Drushaun McLaurn was the only Triton to reach double figures, scoring 10 points. Marco Behori, Kristiyan Stavrev, and Myron Hagins each had nine.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will look to break a two-game skid on Wednesday hosting No. 19 Florida Southern in a game that will be featured on ESPN3.