Playing the first of three straight home games to end the first semester, and four in a row at home overall, the Moccasins (5-2, 0-1 SSC) are attempting to even their conference record at 1-1 with a win over Florida Tech (6-1, 1-0) on Thursday. The Mocs have already won their first four home games this season, and have won 18 straight at Jenkins Field House dating back to last November.
Live stats will be available at: http://www.flsouthern.edu/athletics/mens/livestats/xlive.htm
A live audio/video webcast will be available at: http://fscmocs.nmtvsports.com
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GAME SPONSORS
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Morrick Construction, Inc.
Radiant Oil Company of Tampa
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CATERING FOR SIXTH MAN CLUB PROVIDED BY
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Natalie's Sports Bar & Grill
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Florida Southern Probable Starters:
F, #23, Garrett Putman (7.4 pts., 7.0 rebs.)
F, #40, Brett Bailey (12.7 pts., 8.4 rebs., .581 fg%)
G, #0, Kevin Capers (15.4 pts., 2.3 rebs., 2.7 steals)
G, #5, Dominic Lane (9.7 pts., 4.6 rebs., 2.3 asts.)
G, #21, Seth Evans (17.0 pts., 2.7 rebs., 3.6 asts.)
SERIES HISTORY... Florida Southern is 65-20 all-time against Florida Tech, and the teams have split the season series in each of the last three years. In all three years, Florida Southern won at home and lost on the road, and the Moccasins also won a game in Jenkins Field House against the Panthers in the 2009 SSC Tournament. They're 7-5 against the Panthers under Linc Darner, including a 6-0 mark at home. The Moccasins won last year in Jenkins Field House, 79-69, a game in which they outscored the Panthers 18-1 in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 20-point halftime lead. The Panthers twice cut the gap to nine in the second half, only to have the Mocs score on three straight possessions each time to keep firm control of the game. Florida Tech would win the second meeting of the year in Melbourne, 89-84 in overtime. In that one, the Mocs tie the game on two free throws with two seconds to play, and had the lead with less than a minute to play in overtime before the Panthers scored the final six points. A.J. Hawkins and Brett Bailey are the only Moccasins on the active roster who have seen significant playing time against Florida Tech, and they combined for 23 points and 15 rebounds in the two games last year.
ABOUT FLORIDA SOUTHERN... The Moccasins begin a 4-game home-stand with this game and are looking to even their Sunshine State Conference record after losing to Rollins 84-78 on December 3. Since then they picked up a second win over Armstrong Atlantic State where they equaled their season high with 97 points. All five Moccasin starters scored in double figures in that game, led by Seth Evans with 19 points, and Brett Bailey with 18 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Garrett Putman also had his best game as a Moccasin with 15 points, 10 boards and three steals. Evans leads Florida Southern in scoring and ranks third in the SSC with a 17.0 average. He's also set a school record by making 27 consecutive free throws, giving him a league-leading .971 free throw percentage. Bailey is among the SSC leaders in rebounding and field goal percentage, and Putman is in the top five in rebounding as well. Evans, Bailey and Kevin Capers have all scored in double figures in six of seven games so far, and Dominic Lane has done that in three straight games while also picking up 14 assists and only two turnovers during that time. Cameron Vines and Kyle Tazioli are each averaging 6.3 points per game off the bench; Vines has three games with at least eight points and six rebounds, and Tazioli has reached double figure points twice so far. Tyler Kelly adds a 4.0 scoring average to the mix and is second on the team with 24 assists, one behind Evans.
ABOUT FLORIDA TECH... The Panthers come into this game having won six of their first seven games, including an 82-72 victory over Eckerd on Saturday in their first SSC game of the season. The Panthers have also defeated Puerto Rico-Bayamon (83-55) and Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (65-54), two teams Florida Southern has also beaten in the early going. Their only loss came to the District of Columbia, 82-75, in the championship game of the Florida Tech Thanksgiving Tournament. Florida Tech is averaging 80.6 points per game (third in the SSC behind Florida Southern and Eckerd), and has four players averaging at least 12.5. At the top of that list is senior guard Simon Cummings, who has already been named the SSC Player-of-the-Week twice this year. He's scored at least 19 points in every game, and leads the league with his 22.4 average. Cummings shoots 49 percent from the floor, 40 percent from 3-point range (20-for-50) and 82 percent from the line. He also leads Florida Tech in assists and steals. Julius Reid is another returning starter from last year who is averaging 15.3 points per game and shooting 43 percent from behind the arc (17-for-40). Four-year starting forward Derek Hellemann is scoring at a 12.9 clip, and is a 57 percent career shooter from the floor. Jermaine Jackson has won a starting job as a freshman, and averages 12.5 points per game while shooting 44 percent overall and 35 percent from 3-point range. Edgars Eglitis (7.9 pts., 9.3 rebs.) completes a starting five that all average more than 30 minutes per game.
