Box Score SAINT LEO - Florida Southern saw both its four game win streak and its 17 game Sunshine State Conference win streak come to a halt here Wednesday evening as the reigning Division II National Champion Moccasins watched an 11 point lead with a little less than three minutes disappear as Saint Leo scored 15 of the game's final 17 points to rally for a 91-89 victory in SSC action at the Marion Bowman Activities Center.
Wednesday's loss the first for the Mocs in SSC play since falling 107-102 at home to Barry on Jan. 3, 2015. Since that loss to Barry, the Mocs had won 17 consecutive league games, including picking up league wins this season over both Barry (74-72) and Lynn (98-91). The loss also snapped FSC's 22 game win streak against in-state opponents. The 17 game conference win streak was the longest active streak in Division II men's basketball.
The Mocs, who fell to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the SSC, took an 87-76 lead following a lay-up from sophomore forward Tyler Ross (St. John, Ind.) with 2:49 left in the game. From that point, the Lions would score 11 straight points, including three consecutive three-pointers to tie the game at 87 with 1:14 remaining.
Following Ross' lay-up, Marcus Dewberry began the SLU run with a lay-up with 2:44 left. After a missed trey on the Mocs next possession from junior guard Trey Moore, Carter Belling would drill an open three to drop the Mocs lead to 87-81 with 2:07 left. After another failed scoring opportunity for the Mocs on its next possession, Caleb Stewart would hit a trey to push the Lions with three at 87-84 with 1:40 remaining.
The Mocs would then turn the ball over on its ensuing possession and that turnover helped Belling drill another three from the corner to tie the game at 87.
"All three of those 3-pointers they hit were wide open shots. We didn't do a very good job in the final minutes getting out and contesting their shots," Moccasin head coach Mike Donnelly said following the game.
FSC would stop the SLU run on its next trip down the court as senior guard Dylan Travis (Omaha, Neb.) hit 1-of-2 free throws to give the Mocs an 88-87 lead with 57.1 seconds remaining. That lead, though, was short-lived as Dewberry scored on a lay-up 16 seconds later to give the Lions an 89-88 lead. It was SLU's first lead since midway through the first half.
The Mocs would get fouled on its next possession, but Ross would miss his first shot and then be called for a lane violation on his second to keep the Lions in the lead. Belling would then hit two free throws with 17.5 seconds left to give SLU a 91-88 lead.
Trailing 91-88, Travis would get fouled with 14 seconds left and he would convert on one of his two foul shots to pull the Mocs within two points at 91-89. SLU's Trail Pierce gave the Mocs one more chance after he misfired on a 1-and-1 attempt with 12.7 seconds left. On the ensuing Moccasin possession, senior guard Dominique Williams (Haines City, Fla.) was fouled on his way to the basket with 4.9 seconds left. Williams, though, would miss his two shots and Ross would collect the offensive board on the second shot, but was unble to get a shot off before the horn sounded.
"Saint Leo made plays down the stretch and we didn't. That is what this game was about tonight," Donnelly added. "We had numerous chances in the final three minutes of the game to make a play or hit some free throws, but failed to take advantage of those chances, but give credit to Saint Leo, they were able to take advantage of their chances."
Travis led the way offensively for the Mocs as he finished with 28 points and added seven assists and five rebounds, while Williams added 23 points and eight boards, but was just 9-for-22 from the field, inclduing going 1-for-7 from the 3-point line.
Two other Mocs finished in double figures in the win as junior guard Sheldon Zablotny (Erie, Pa.) tallied 16 points off the bench, including scoring 10 of those point in the first half and Moore had a career high 15 points and also had six boards, four assists and five steals off the bench.
Saint Leo, who trailed 47-41 at the half, opened the second half on a 9-4 run to pull withing 51-50 with 17:13 left. The Mocs, though, would respond with a 10-2 run capped by a lay-up from Moore to take a 61-52 lead.
SLU would cut into that lead as pull within 65-64 with 10:53 remining in the game. The Mocs would once again answer as they used a 22-14 run over the next seven-plus minutes to push its lead to 87-76.
SLU was paced offensively on the night by Tyreece Brice as he had 23 points, while Belling and Dewberry each added 20 in the victory. Dewberry and Belling combined to score 35 of SLU's 50 second half points.
In the first half, SLU jumped out to an early five point lead and led 17-13 when the Mocs used a 25-11 run over the next six-plus minutes to take a 38-28 lead. The run was aided by eight points from Zablotny and seven points from Williams.
After the Lions scored seven straight points to pull within 38-35, the Mocs would close out the first half on a 9-6 run to take a 47-41 lead at the half.
SLU finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, but was just 34.5 percent from the 3-point line. In the second half, the Lions shot 53 percent from the floor and 47 percent from downtown.
Both teams committed 20 turnovers in a game that shot a combined 142 shots taken, including a combined 59 3-pointers. The Mocs shot the ball 73 times and had 30 3-point attempts, while SLU had 69 shots at the basket and took 29 three-pointers.
The Mocs did finish with a 42-37 edge on the glass, but struggled at the free throw line as they shot just 64 percent (14-for-22) at the line, including going 6-for-12 (50 percent) in the second half.
FSC will look to rebound this coming Saturday, Dec. 5 as they return home to Jenkins Field House to host Florida Tech (6-2, 1-1 SSC) in a 7:30 p.m. SSC contest. The Panthers suffered a 104-100 loss on Wednesday at Eckerd. During halftime of Saturday's game, the Mocs will celebrate 50 Years of Jenkins Field House.
"There are no nights off in league play. We just have to rebound, refocus and get ready to face another tough opponent on our home court Saturday night," the Moc coach said.
