Box Score LAKELAND - One night after scoring 29 points in a win over Talladega, Terry Jenkins added to that total and dropped in 31 to lead Florida Southern to a 96-78 win over Tuskegee that sent the Moccasins into Christmas break on a 5-game winning streak.
The 31 points for Jenkins equaled his career-high set last year against Rollins, and the fifth-year senior became the first Moccasin to reach 30 this year. While going eight-for-12 from the floor, he also made four-of-five shots from behind the 3-point arc and was 11-for-12 from the free throw line. He added four rebounds, four assists and two steals to his final stat line, and helped Florida Southern top 90 points for the third straight home game.
Brandon Jenkins scored 18 points for the Moccasins (8-3), and both Rion Rayfield and Brett Bailey fell just short of a double-double. Rayfield scored 14 points with nine assists, and Bailey came off the bench for 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Sunday night's game between two of last year's NCAA Tournament qualifiers went back and forth for the first six minutes, with Brandon Jenkins knocking down a 3-pointer at the 13:52 mark to tie the game at 13. The younger Jenkins brother then came up with a steal on Tuskegee's next possession to set up a go-ahead 3-pointer by Rayfield. Brandon followed that with two free throws to put the Mocs ahead 18-13, but Jeremy Williams answered for the Golden Tigers (2-3) with a 3-pointer and a layup to tie the game once again at 18. That would be the final tie of the night, however, as Florida Southern out-scored Tuskegee 12-2 over the next four-and-a-half minutes.
All 12 of those points came from the reserves too. Bailey started the run with a conventional 3-point play, and Jay Hubble followed with another to give the Mocs a 24-18 lead. Preston Fredrick then scored the next six points for Florida Southern to put them ahead 30-20. By the end of the first half, that lead was up to 47-27, with Terry Jenkins scoring 10 of Florida Southern's final 17 points.
In the second half, the Moccasin lead never dipped below 11, with Lorell Friend trimming it to 67-56 with 8:16 remaining. Rayfield drove in a dagger though when he made all three free throws after he was fouled in the act of shooting, and then knocked down a 3-point field goal with 6:47 to play, giving the Mocs an 18-point advantage at that point. That was the first of nine straight possessions in which Florida Southern scored.
The Moccasins finished the night shooting 48 percent overall and were even better from long range, making 11-of-20 shots behind the 3-point line. They were also 29-for-38 at the free throw line, with the Jenkins brothers combining to make 18-of-20. If there was one area of concern, though, it was the season-high 20 turnovers.
Tuskegee shot 40 percent from the floor and committed 16 turnovers. Five Golden Tigers scored in double figures, with Williams leading the group with 16 points. Calvin Thomas and Andrae Nelson each scored 14, Aaron Ragsdale scored 13, and Friend added 11. Ragsdale also had a game-high 13 rebounds.
Florida Southern will be off until Sunday, January 2, when it begins Sunshine State Conference play against Florida Tech. Game time at Jenkins Field House is 4:00 p.m.
