ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Florida Southern College men's basketball team came up short in their season opener against West Alabama, 74-69, on Friday afternoon in the first game of the SSC/GSC Challenge at McArthur Center on the campus of Eckerd College.
A close matchup throughout the game came down to the final seconds. The Mocs (0-1) had the narrow lead at halftime shooting 50% from the field, including 57.1% from deep. However, the Tigers (1-0) were able to fight back with points in the paint.
"They are a tough team to play against because their style is so much different from ours, but we didn't make the tough plays like they did," said head coach
Mike Donnelly. "But we will learn from it and grow from it; we got a quick turnaround tomorrow."
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
- Florida Southern scored first with a jumper by Xavier Rhodes as both teams struggled to find the net, with a 2-2 tie four minutes into the game. After a five minute scoring drought by the Mocs, Luke Anderson nailed the and-one bucket for an 8-5 score with 13:34 on the clock. Revived by Anderson's points, the Mocs had an 8-1 rally after E.J. Dambreville nailed a 3-pointer, and Rhodes followed up with a fast break layup for a 10-9 lead. At the halfway point in the half, the Tigers were up by one, 14-13.
- A close match into the latter part of the half, Tarik Mckelphin broke up a run by the Tigers with back-to-back 3-pointers with four minutes left in the half, down to a score of 29-26. West Alabama hit free throws to boost the lead, but Jack Casale hit a 3 for a two-point game with two minutes left. The Tigers turned the ball over with Mckelphin for his third 3-pointer from a late lead in the half. Foul by the Mocs and Tigers shot two, making one for a tie game. Casale hit another 3-pointer for a three point lead with 18 seconds left. In their last possession, the Tigers hit a last second shot, but the Mocs led 35-34 at the half.
SECOND HALF
- The Mocs kept the intensity with Mckelphin hitting a layup and follow-up defensive rebound. Fouled on a 3-point attempt, Rhodes hit two of them for a 39-34 lead one minute into the game. The Tigers had a 6-0 run interrupted by Casale's fourth 3-pointer of the game to regain the lead (42-20) at 17:17 in the game. UWA tied the game at 42 with 15 minutes left in the game. A technical foul by UWA coach gave the Mocs two free throws nailed by Jadin Booth for a 44-42 lead. The Tigers had a 6-0 run into the second media timeout for a 48-44 UWA lead. DeAndre Campbell shot 3-4 free throws in back-to-back fouls to bring the game within two at the halfway point (47-49).
- Both teams traded points, but Babatunde Ajike hit two layups to tie the game at 51 with 8:59 on the clock. UWA scored five points, but Mckelphin found Ajike in the paint for his sixth point in the half (53-56). Campbell broke up a rally by the Tigers with a layup, followed by a steal from Rhodes that hit Campbell to drain a 3-pointer and tie the game at 58 with 6:10 on the clock. With UWA and FSC in the bonus, Anderson hit both of his free throws for a 60-63 slight deficit with four minutes left. After the last media timeout, Rhodes hit both free throws, down one point (62-63). A fast break by Rhodes again brought the deficit to one with 2:42 left. Defensive rebounding by the Mocs led to a deep assist by Rhodes to a wide open Anderson in the paint for a late lead (66-65) with 1:56 on the clock. The Tigers hit a 3-pointer (66-68) for a lead with less than one minute left on the clock. A steal by Dambreville prevented the UWA score and allowed a fouled Anderson to go to the line shooting two. Anderson hit one for a 67-68 deficit with 28.3 in the second half. Going to the line to stop the clock, the Tigers made both free throws with 22.5 left (67-70). Rhodes took the easy layup with 12.3 on the clock, down by one (69-70). Again fouling for the late stop, the Mocs had a contested shot to tie the game, but unable to go in as the Tigers held on for the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Florida Southern is now 4-4 all-time against West Alabama, including 2-2 on the road against the Tigers.
- Rhodes led the Mocs with 14 points in the game, with eight points in the second half. Casale and Mckelphin were close behind with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
- Dambreville, named to the SSC First Team last season, had seven rebounds in the game, but unable to get points on the board, settling for three.
- After hitting eight 3-pointers in the first half (57.1%), the Mocs were unable to continue into the second half, with only two made from distance.
UP NEXT
- The Moccasins face Delta State University at 12:30 PM Saturday in their final game of the SSC/Gulf South Challenge.
