Box Score ST. PETERSBURG - Eckerd built a 12-point advantage at halftime, then held off repeated Moccasin challenges in the second half to down Florida Southern 77-70 in their Sunshine State Conference game here Wednesday night.
After the Tritons took a 36-24 lead into the second half, the Moccasins pulled even four different times, but never could take the lead. The last tie came at 64-64 on Cameron Wooten's three-pointer with 4:02 remaining, but Eckerd answered with a three-pointer by John Harper and led the rest of the game.
The loss dropped the Moccasins' record to 18-7, 9-4 in the SSC. Eckerd improved to 18-6, 9-5 in the SSC.
The Moccasins struggled with their shooting in the first half, shooting just 32.3 percent from the field, and Eckerd used its size advantage to out-rebound the Moccasins 24-14.
FSC's second-half shooting improved slightly and they finished the game at 36.1 percent (22-61), but Eckerd also shot better in the second and finished at 51.0 percent (25-49). The Tritons won the rebound battle 41-32.
Wooten led the Moccasins with 14 points. Rion Rayfield and Damon Ellison each scored 13. Brandon Jenkins had 12 and Terry Jenkins added 10 in the loss. Dale Carn led Eckerd with 17.
Saturday the Moccasins have a key SSC game at 7:30 at Jenkins Field House against first-place Rollins.
