ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Triton men's basketball team earned an important Sunshine State Conference win on Saturday by attacking the basket and making some timely 3-pointers as Eckerd knocked off Barry University in the McArthur Center on Saturday.
The Tritons led for the majority of the game, going in front on two
Drushaun McLaurn free throws at the 11:44 mark of the first half and never surrendering the lead for the rest of the afternoon.
Eckerd often pushed its lead to double-digits only to see the Buccaneers claw back within two possessions. It wasn't until a flurry of 3-pointers from
Marquis Gilbert did the Tritons find themselves in a comfortable position.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 78, Barry 66
Records: Eckerd 17-5 (10-4 SSC); Barry 13-9 (8-7 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- Barry held an early five-point lead at 14-9, but a 12-1 Eckerd run soon swung momentum in the Tritons' favor. EC's defense held Barry to 0-for-5 shooting and forced three turnovers during the stretch.
- A jumper by Drushaun McLaurn pushed the Eckerd lead to 10 points with 5:00 left in the half; however, the Bucs responded with an 8-0 run to pull back within two. Marco Behori drained an opportune 3-pointer on EC's next possession. The Tritons closed the half on a 10-3 run to take a nine-point lead into halftime.
- Eckerd scored the first five points of the second half, extending its lead to 14 points, only to see Barry get back within four points with 12:00 to play. The Bucs, however, got no closer the rest of the way.
- With EC leading by nine with under eight minutes to play, Gilbert drained the first of four 3-pointers over a 3:37 stretch as part of a 13-4 run that extended the lead to 18 points (72-54) with 3:54 left. The Buccaneers' late run came up well short as Eckerd avenged its December loss at Barry.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The home-floor win for Eckerd stopped Barry's bid to win three straight games in the McArthur Center. The Bucs had won the previous two meetings in St. Petersburg by four points each.
- Gilbert scored all 14 of his points in the second half, 12 of which came during the decisive 3:37 stretch.
- McLaurn led Eckerd with 18 points while Marco Behori had 16, 14 of which came in the first half. Myron Hagins added 10.
- Eckerd held Daniel Mortensen scoreless in the second half after Mortensen scored 15 in the first half.
- The Tritons were rewarded for attacking the basket, going 22-of-27 from the free throw line.
UP NEXT
Eckerd faces a difficult test on Wednesday as No. 8 Nova Southeastern visits the McArthur Center.
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