ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Following a back-and-forth game, the Eckerd men's basketball team used a 7-0 run early in overtime to defeat Lynn, 91-83, Saturday evening at the McArthur Center for the Tritons first SSC victory of the season.
The Tritons jumped out early with a 10-2 start to the game. Lynn responded with a 16-4 stretch to take a five-point lead midway through the frame. The teams then swapped leads over the next seven minutes before EC ended the half on a 9-1 stretch to take a 42-32 favor at intermission.
The Knights opened the second half with eight straight points to pull within two. EC maintained between a two and six-point lead over the next 10 minutes before LU evened the score at 59-59 at the 8:51 mark. However, EC pushed back in front by five a minute later. EC held a slim lead the rest of the way before Lynn made four straight free throws inside the final 28 seconds to tie the game. EC had one last look to win the game in regulation but could not convert as the teams went into overtime tied at 75-75.
Both teams struggled over the first minute and a half of overtime before a Gianfranco Grafals triple ignited a 7-0 run to put the Tritons up for good. The teams swapped baskets the rest of the way as EC held on for the 91-83 victory.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 91, Lynn 83 (OT)
RECORDS: Eckerd 3-11 (1-10 SSC); Lynn 9-6 (3-8 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Grafals and Daniel Love both posted 20-plus point figures. Grafals led EC with 29 points while Love added 27.
- Kent Garard also added double-digits in his first career start with a career-high 14 points. He also posted his first career double-double, adding a career-best 11 boards.
- Garard padded his stat line with a career-high three steals while playing the entire 45 minutes.
- David Sweedura also played the full 45 minutes.
- Grafals nearly missed a double-double, adding eight boards.
- EC forced 23 Knights turnovers.
- The Tritons' 91 points are a season-high.
- EC played in its second straight overtime game and is now 2-2 in overtime games this season.
QUOTABLE
"We look forward to more games like this as the season goes on. In the beginning of the season, we were all getting to know each other and each of our roles, and now everybody knows what they have to do," said Grafals. "All my teammates stayed with it defensively, and we came out with the win."
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels to Saint Leo on Wednesday for an SSC contest at 7:30 PM.
