Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The stage was set, complete with a national audience provided by ESPN3, as the No. 6 Florida Southern College men's basketball team faced off against the No. 5 Nova Southeastern Sharks in the NCAA Division II Showcase. Sure enough, the visiting Mocs would come from behind to win, 102-96, in stunning fashion.
Now 23-2 on the season and 15-2 in the Sunshine State Conference, the Mocs remain in first place in the SSC, ahead of second place Nova Southeastern (19-3, 13-3 SSC).
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
- The contest started well enough for Southern, as senior guard Jair Rodgers banged home a three-pointer just 16 seconds into the game for a quick 3-0 lead. NSU would then race out to a 13-6 lead, when junior forward Jalyn Hinton and senior forward Jack Rauch made layups to bring the Mocs to within three at 13-10, with 15:21 to go in the first half.
- Minutes later, the Sharks went on a run, and extended the lead to 12 points, at 25-13. The lead would again be 12 points with 10:18 to play, when the Mocs would finally start to solve the NSU defense.
- A 7-2 run for the Red and White would bring the lead down to seven. First junior forward Brandon Carroll would hit a three. On the ensuing NSU possession, Hinton had his fourth block of the first half, then ran the floor and was rewarded with a monster dunk.
- NSU responded, pushing the score to 38-27, pushing the ball inside for high percentage layups.
- From there, an 8-1 run for the Mocs was sparked by a Rodgers three and punctuated by another three, this one from sophomore guard E.J. Dambreville.
- Minutes later, the Mocs would come within two points, at 44-42, as senior forward Jack Rauch made a pair of free throws.
- At the 3:37 mark, Carroll would knock down a three to tie the score at 45-45. The last time the game was tied was at 17:59. But there was more work to do.
- The teams would trade baskets the rest of the half, with the score tied at 53 heading into the break.
- In all, the Mocs overcame several 12-point deficits in the half.
2nd Half
- As the second half opened, the Mocs jumped out on a 6-0 run, on a basket by Hinton, free throws from Rauch, and a fast break layup for Rodgers.
- The Mocs would keep the lead until the14:35 mark, when NSU went up 65-64.
- After Hanson made a jumper in the lane, the Sharks would go on a 6-0 run of their own, to recapture the lead, 71-66.
- From there, Southern would go on a 10-0 run over the next 89 seconds to go up 76-71with 10:33 remaining. During that stretch, Hinton played a pivotal role, with two blocks and two baskets, including a dunk. Defensively, FSC held NSU scoreless for over three minutes.
- After a Shark basket, Dambreville scored on a put-back tip-in to return the lead to five points.
- The teams again traded baskets, until Dambreville and Rodgers made consecutive baskets to run the Mocs lead to ten points, 89-79, with 4:39 to play in regulation.
- The lead would stay at ten at the 1:43 mark, when sophomore guard Xavier Rhodes beat his defender on the fast break and made a layup.
- The lead would dwindle down to three with 53.1 seconds to go, before Carroll slammed home a tremendous dunk with 49.1 seconds to play.
- Rauch made a free throw with 26 seconds to play, as the Mocs defense strangled the Sharks offense on the next possession.
- Ultimately, Rodgers would make a pair of free throws, and NSU would make a last second layup, and the Mocs would prevail, 102-96.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Hinton, who currently leads the nation in blocked shots per game with 3.48, had seven blocks tonight. This is now the third time this season that he has blocked seven shots in a single game. His career-high is eight, done when he played for Jacksonville University, against South Carolina State, on December 1, 2018.
- This was the sixth time this season that the Mocs have scored at least 100 points.
- With the win, FSC has now avenged both it its losses so far this year. Back on January 4, 2020, the Sharks bested the Mocs in Lakeland, 111-103 in overtime.
- Rodgers led the Mocs today with 20 points. This is the fifth time this season he has scored at least 20 points.
- For the game, Southern shot 50.7% from the field, while NSU shot 52.7%.
- Hanson added 18 points, and now has 2,090 points for his illustrious career, the third-highest total in school history. He has also tallied 806 rebounds, 204 steals, and 411 assists.
UP NEXT
Southern will return home on Wednesday, February 19, hosting Eckerd at 5:30 p.m., on Senior Day.
