TAMPA, Fla.- Despite
Admir Radoncic tying his career-high of 25 points, the Eckerd men's basketball team was unable to hold off a late second-half surge by Tampa Wednesday night as Eckerd fell, 78-61, at the Bob Martinez Center.
Eckerd and Tampa stayed within two-possessions of each other for the entire first half. However, Tampa distanced themselves as a result of a 70.83-second half shooting percentage.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Tampa 78, Eckerd 61
Records: Eckerd 7-13 (3-9 SSC); Tampa 6-14 (3-9 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- The teams traded baskets over the opening five minutes until a Kristiyan Stavrev triple at the 14:38 mark gave Eckerd a five-point lead. Tampa answered with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to take a slight 12-10 edge. However, back-to-back triples by Travis Bianco and Admir Radoncic ended the run and put EC back up by four.
- The Tritons maintained a slight favor for the next four minutes before the teams swapped leads over the remaining seven minutes of the first half as the Spartans took a 33-28 lead into the break.
- Eckerd evened the score on a Malcolm Whitlow triple following a 7-2 Triton run at the 15:32 mark. The Spartans regained the lead 30 seconds later as the teams stayed within one possession of each other for the next five minutes with Eckerd rallying to even the score four times during the stretch.
- With 10:00 minutes left, Tampa started on a 7-0 run to take a 58-51 lead. Eckerd pulled within four on a Stavrev 3-pointer at the 7:10 mark, but UT followed with a 16-0 run to take a 76-56 lead with 1:54 left before going on to take the 78-61 victory.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Radoncic tied his career-high with 25 points while he also pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds.
- Bianco and Stavrev also posted double-figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
- Dante Love dished out a career-high four assists.
- Eckerd shot 41.8 percent from the floor, while Tampa shot 60.4 percent.
- Vernard Brown, Jr.. made his first appearance in a Triton uniform collecting one steal.
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to action on Saturday with a trip to Barry for a 4:00 PM tip.
