TAMPA, Fla. - After struggling offensively throughout the first half, the Eckerd men's basketball team responded to take a slight edge midway through the second half. However, the Tritons ultimately fell, 70-66, to Tampa at the Bob Martinez Center on Sunday afternoon.
Eckerd struggled offensively to start the game, while UT jumped out to a 19-5 favor midway into the first half. EC used a 10-3 run to chip into the lead, pulling within seven at the 3:17 mark before entering halftime down 34-26.
Early in the second frame, the Tritons used a 9-0 run to take a 41-40 edge at the 14:35 mark. The rest of the game went back and forth with a combined 11 lead changes. An 8-0 run gave the Spartans the lead midway through the frame, but Eckerd responded with eight consecutive points to take a one-point favor. EC and Tampa traded baskets the rest of the way. UT went up by one with 1:16 left, but Carr Thiam responded with a basket to give EC a 66-65 edge. However, Tampa made a layup on the ensuing possession, and Eckerd missed on two opportunities inside the final 20 seconds.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Tampa 70, Eckerd 66
RECORDS: Eckerd 6-2 (1-1 SSC); Tampa 4-4 (1-1 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The loss snapped Ekcerd's six-game winning streak, the longest winning streak since the 2017-18 season.
- Kent Garard led the team with 14 points, while Isaiah Placide (13), Carr Thiam (11), and Bradon Garcia added double figures.
- Timothy Thompson nearly posted his second double-double of the week with nine points and nine rebounds.
- Garcia grabbed a career-high five steals. He rounded out his stat line with five assists and five rebounds.
- Eckerd struggled from the floor in the first half with a 33.33 field goal percentage but responded with a 40.3 percent shooting clip in the second half.
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to the McArthur Center on Saturday to host Florida Southern at 5:00 PM.
