ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A late scoring flurry by Isaiah Placide, with 12 points in less than two minutes, gave the Eckerd men's basketball team a late surge to lift the Tritons to a 78-71 victory over Florida Tech on Wednesday night at the McArthur Center.
Eckerd and Florida Tech traded baskets for the majority of the first half, with neither team able to generate more than a two-possession lead until seven straight points gave the Tritons a 38-31 favor with 1:33 left in the half before EC took a 38-34 lead at intermission.
Eckerd started the second half with eight consecutive points for a 12-point margin. FIT followed with a 15-5 run to pull within two with 12:54 left. The Panthers evened the score with 8:30 left. The Tritons quickly took a five-point lead only to see the Panther add eight straight points for a three-point edge. However, Isaiah Placide went on a scoring rampage with 12 consecutive points, including three triples for a 72-63 lead with 1:38 left. Eckerd nailed its free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 78, Florida Tech 71
RECORDS: Eckerd 9-6 (4-3 SSC); 10-3 (3-3 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Placide led Eckerd with 23 points. Timothy Thompson (15), George Kimble (14), and Carr Thaim (11) rounded out the double-figure scorers.
- Thompson posted a double-double, adding 13 boards. It's his second straight double-double.
- Kimble grabbed three steals.
- Eckerd shot 46.6 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from deep.
- EC held a 40-31 advantage on the boards.
UP NEXT
Eckerd faces a bye weekend and travels to No. 1 Nova Southeastern next Wednesday at 7:30 PM.
