ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Despite a blistering first half where the Tritons shot 65.3 percent from the field, the Eckerd men's basketball team was unable to complete the upset over No. 5 Nova Southeastern Saturday afternoon. The Sharks controlled the second half as they defeated Eckerd 93-78 at the McArthur Center.
The Sharks erased an early eight-point Tritons' lead. However, Eckerd used a late scoring flurry with a 13-2 stretch over the final three minutes of the first half to even the score at 41-41. The Sharks then went on an early 9-0 run in the second half and stayed ahead by double-digits for most of the second half.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: No. 5 Nova Southeastern 93, Eckerd 78
Records: Eckerd 7-15 (3-11 SSC); Nova Southeastern 18-2 (11-2 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- The teams swapped baskets over the opening four minutes before back-to-back triples by Kristiyan Stavrev and Malcolm Whitlow ignited an 8-0 run as Eckerd took a 14-6 lead at the 15:28 mark. NSU followed with a 12-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 2-point lead.
- The Sharks pushed out by 11 following a 7-2 run with 4:34 left. However, a string of three straight 3-pointers by Whitlow, Travis Bianco, and Dante Love sparked a 13-2 run over the final four minutes of the half to tie the game at 41-41.
- The teams traded baskets over the opening three minutes of the second half before the Sharks went on a 9-0 run to take a 56-47 lead with 15:44 left. NSU's lead fluctuated between seven and 13 points over the next seven minutes before the Sharks went up by 16 with 6:53 left following a traditional 3-point play by Mark Matthews. Nova Southeastern pushed out to a 17-point lead two minutes later before a Stavrev triple pulled EC back within 14 points with three minutes left. However, Eckerd could not make up the deficit over the final minutes as they fell to the Sharks.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Stavrev led Eckerd with 16 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the perimeter.
- Admir Radoncic posted his seventh double-double this season of 15 points and 12 rebounds.
- Bianco (12), Whitlow (11), and Myron Hagins (10) rounded out the double-figure scorers.
- Hagins returned to the lineup for the first time since December 21.
- Whitlow finished one assist shy of a double-double.
- Bianco also recorded eight rebounds.
- The Tritons posted a rare stat line from the charity stripe as they attempted just two free throws throughout the entire game.
- Eckerd shot 59.2 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from the perimeter.
QUOTABLE
"We played hard tonight but not consistent enough," said head coach
Bryan Galuski. "I felt like we did an excellent job taking care of the ball against a very good team. Our game is about offensive and defensive possessions and overall, we didn't execute well enough to win the game."
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns home on Wednesday, hosting Florida Tech at 7:30 PM.
