Box Score LAKELAND - For roughly eight minutes Tuesday night, Florida Southern watched Puerto Rico-Bayamon and Nelson Perez run up and down the court, knocking down one 3-pointer after another to put the Moccasins into an early hole. Rather than climb out of it though, the Mocs pretty much leaped to the top in a single bound. Running off 18 consecutive points to take complete control of the game, Florida Southern took an 18-point lead by halftime and was well on its way to an 89-49 win over the Vaqueros.
The Moccasins (2-1) had an 8-4 lead four minutes into the game before Perez led the Vaqueros (0-2) on a 14-2 run over the second four minutes of the game. The 5-9 freshman guard started it with a steal and break-away basket to get his team within one and then knocked down a 3-pointer after another Moccasin turnover that gave them a 9-8 lead. Perez would make two more 3-point field goals during that stretch, which ended with UPR-Bayamon up 18-10.
The Mocs started to assert themselves with 11:33 remaining in the half when Kevin Capers hit a 3-pointer to get them within five, and finished off a four-point play with a free throw. Capers and Brett Bailey then made two free throws apiece shortly after the 10-minute mark to tie the score before a steal by Capers led to a fast-break bucket by Seth Evans that put the Mocs ahead 20-18. They weren't even close to being finished.
Evans, Bailey, Garrett Putman and Tyler Kelly would all make shots after that to push the Moccasin lead to 28-18, and after the Vaqueros broke their scoreless drought with a basket by Jeshua Ayala, Evans drained a 3-pointer to put the Mocs up by double digits once again. It stayed that way the rest of the night, with Cameron Vines and Kelly making 3-pointers in the final 90 seconds of the half to put the Mocs ahead 45-27 at the break.
In the second half, Florida Southern used runs of 17-6 and 17-2 to build their lead to 43 with 2:35 remaining. The margin eventually settled at 40, the largest for the Moccasins in two years.
The Mocs shot 47 percent from the floor, were six-for-16 from 3-point distance, and 25-for-28 from the free throw line for an .893 percentage. Four Moccasins scored in double figures, led by Capers with 20. The freshman guard had a pair of 3-pointers among his shooting totals, going 5-for-9 overall, and was also 8-for-9 at the line. He added three assists and five steals as well.
Bailey had 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals, Evans scored 14 points, had four boards and four assists, and Vines finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four steals. The Mocs got a total of 30 points from their bench, led by Vines, while Kelly and Michael Burton scored five. All three of those players contributed to the Mocs' 3-point totals too.
Nelson ended up with 18 points for UPR-Bayamon and was the only member of the Vaqueros in double figures. Antoine Perez had a strong game off the bench with four points, four rebounds, eight assists and three steals, but the Vaqueros were hurt badly by 32 turnovers. They also shot just 22 percent (8-for-36) after the first eight minutes of the game when they'd started 7-for-12.
Florida Southern will remain at home over Thanksgiving break for the Terrace Hotel/Ledger Media Group Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Moccasins will take on Limestone (S.C.) College Friday night at 7:30, with Armstrong Atlantic State (Ga.) playing Minnesota State at 5:15.
The tournament consolation game is Saturday at 5:15 p.m., followed by the championship game at 7:30 p.m.
