LAKELAND - Florida Southern will put its 13-game winning streak on the line here Wednesday evening as the fourth-ranked Moccasins conclude its season-long five-game homestand with a 7:30 p.m. Sunshine State Conference tilt against Eckerd College.
The Mocs, who are 13-0 overall on the season and 2-0 in the SSC, comes into Wednesday's game having won 12 consecutive home games since falling to Florida Tech (83-79) in the second to last regular season home game last season and they have also won four consecutive regular season SSC games since that loss to the Panthers. FSC improved to 2-0 in the SSC following its 95-79 win on Saturday night at home over then 25th-ranked Barry.
While the Mocs come into the game riding the second-longest active win streak in Division II behind Drury's 34-game win streak, Eckerd comes into action having won three straight games, including opening its SSC schedule with a 75-63 home win this past Saturday over Nova Southeastern. The Tritons are sporting an 8-4 overall record and are 1-0 in the SSC. FSC and Eckerd are the only two remaining undefeated teams in SSC play.
Wednesday's game will mark the 97th meeting all-time in the series between the two schools as the Mocs hold a 63-33 edge all-time. Eckerd has won four of the last seven meetings in the series, but the Mocs two of the three meetings last season, including picking up an 85-80 win in overtime in the semifinals of the SSC Tournament in Kissimmee. The teams have split their last four regular season meetings with each team winning on their home floor. The Mocs have won six straight games in the series in Lakeland and hold a 30-11 edge at home and leads 23-18 in St. Petersburg. In addition, FSC holds an 8-4 edge on neutral courts. Eighth-year Moccasin coach Linc Darner is 9-7 all-time against Eckerd, including being 6-1 in Lakeland against the Tritons.
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Eckerd, who was tabbed to finish fifth in the Preseason SSC Coaches' Poll, enters play on Wednesday with five players averaging in double figures. Leading that list is sophomore guard/forward Jerrick Stevenson. Stevenson, who is a graduate of George Jenkins High School in Lakeland, is averaging 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and is shooting 39 percent from the field and has tallied double figures in scoring in 11 games, including scoring 10 or more points in four straight contests. In addition to Stevenson, senior guard Josh Snodgrass is averaging 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and is shooting 47 percent from the field and is fifth in the SSC in free throw shooting at 84.9 percent, while senior guard Alex Bodney is averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game and is shooting 37 percent from the floor, 33 percent from the 3-point line and 82 percent at the line and has scored in double figures in eight games, including six straight games in double figures.
The other two Tritons averaging in double figures are sophomore forward Ray Darnell and junior forward Malcolm Brunner, Jr. Darnell is averaging 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and is seventh in the SSC in field goal percentage as he is shooting 55.3 percent from the field and has recorded two double-doubles, while Brunner, Jr., is averaging 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 50 percent t from the field and has reached double figures in five games and has posted two double-doubles.
Eckerd is under the direction of 18-year head coach Tom Ryan. Ryan, who is the third longest tenured active coach in the SSC, has compiled a 335-174 record at his alma mater. Only Rollins' Tom Klusman (34 years) and Tampa's Richard Schmidt (31 years) are the only longer active head coaches in the league.
As a team, the Tritons are one of the top defensive teams in the league as they are third in scoring defense (64.8 points per game), third in field goal percentage defense (40.4 percent) and third in rebound margin (+5.6). On offense, Eckerd is averaging 72.2 points per game and is shooting 44 percent from the field and 32 percent from the 3-point line and is outscoring its foes by a +7.3 margin. Eckerd has scored over 80 points just two times this season and they have held five of its previous 12 opponents under 65 points, including holding Puerto Rico-Bayamon to 49 points.
Eckerd's defensive prowess will be tested on Wednesday by a Moccasin squad that leads the SSC and is 10th nationally in scoring as they are averaging 91.4 points per game and has scored 90 or more points in four consecutive games. Along with leading the SSC in scoring, the Mocs are also shooting a league-best 49.5 percent from the field and are shooting 33 percent from the 3-point line and is second in free throw shooting at 72.9 percent. FSC is also outrebounding its foes by a +4.1 margin and are outscoring its foes by a league-best +15.3 margin. Defensively, FSC is allowing its opponents to average 76.1 points per game and shoot 43 percent from the field and 31 percent from the 3-point line and they are averaging an SSC-best 9.2 steals per game.
Leading the way offensively for the Mocs through the first 13 games this season is junior guard Kevin Capers (Winter Haven, Fla.) and senior guard Dominic Lane (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Capers, who was named this week's SSC Men's Basketball Player of the Week, is averaging a team-leading 16.8 points per game and is also averaging 2.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field and has scored in double figures in 10 games, including a team-best six game of scoring 20 or more points, while Lane is averaging 14.8 points and a team-best 5.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 42 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent at the foul line and his 2.4 made treys per game is fourth-best in the SSC. He enters Wednesday's game having scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games.
In addition to Capers and Lane, junior forward Stephen Battle (Waldorf, Md.) is the third Moccasin averaging in double figures as he is averaging 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and is tied for second in the SSC in field goal percentage (65.5 percent) and is also shooting 33 percent from the 3-point line and 71 percent at the free throw line and he has reached double figures in eight of 13 games, including six times in his nine outings.
Following Wednesday's game, the Mocs will embark on a two-game road swing in SSC play as they open the road swing on Saturday, Jan. 11 with a 4 p.m. game at Lynn, before traveling to Saint Leo for a 7:30 p.m. match-up on Wednesday, Jan. 15 against the Lions.
Live stats will be available here: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=30015.
Live webcast and audio broadcast of the game will be available here: http://fscmocs.nmtvsports.com.
Complete Eckerd Game Notes
