ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - An extensive run at the end of the first half was the difference as the Eckerd men's basketball team topped the University of Minnesota Crookston 64-56 at St. Pete College on Friday night.
Eckerd and Minnesota Crookston swapped leads to start the game until a 7-0 Eagles run gave them an eight-point favor at the 8:33 mark. The Tritons followed with a 16-2 run to take a 32-26 favor with 2:07 left, and Roque Rosario added a bucket at the buzzer to give the Tritons a 38-30 lead at halftime.
Both teams struggled offensively to start the second stanza before a Timothy Thompson jumper at the 16:10 mark marked the first basket of the half, giving EC a double-digit lead. Eckerd maintained an arms-length lead for the rest of the half, with the Eagles cutting their deficit to six twice at the 13:09 mark and again with 30 seconds left, but Eckerd sealed the win with a Thompson steal in the waning moments.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 64, Minn. Crookston 56
RECORDS: Eckerd 4-4, Minn. Crookston 1-5
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Koa Baker led Eckerd with 21 points. He also added nine rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
- Kent Garard posted a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double. He also added a pair of steals.
- Thompson added nine points and two steals.
- Eckerd shot 40.7 percent from the floor compared to the Eagles' 34.0 field goal percentage.
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels to Saint Leo on Wednesday for a 7:30 PM tipoff.
