DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Florida Southern College men's basketball team fell to Embry-Riddle on Saturday night by a final score of 106-95 after the Eagles jumped out to an early 20-point lead.
The Moccasins (10-4, 4-3 SSC) and the Eagles (12-2, 5-2 SSC) each entered the game receiving votes in the most recent NABC Top-25 poll. With the loss, the Moccasins have now dropped their second straight contest on the road.
Embry-Riddle, meanwhile, looked impressive as the team picked up their sixth straight victory—their two losses this year coming by a combined two points.
Despite the loss,
Jadin Booth recorded 28 points to lead his team while
Luke Anderson notched 19 to keep the game competitive until the end.
It was Anderson who picked up the first bucket of the game, putting the Mocs up 2-0 for their first and only lead of the game. The Eagles responded with 22 consecutive points over the course of the first seven minutes of the game to take a massive lead over the visitors.
Over that seven-minute stretch, the Mocs shot 0-for-8 from the field and gave up four turnovers, giving Embry-Riddle a huge cushion that they would use to coast to victory despite a valiant comeback effort.
After the initial 20-point deficit, the two teams exchanged baskets until the Moccasins found new life in a mini-run near the midway point of the first half.
Luke Anderson buried two three-pointers while
E.J. Dambreville scored 4 points to bring the deficit to just 11 with eight and a half minutes to play in the first, the score 30-19.
The Eagles quickly regained control with a six-point swing before
Tray Alexander and
Noah Louis each tallied a pair of baskets to bring the game within 14 points at the three-minute mark of the first half, with the Eagles ahead, 44-30.
The teams exchanged baskets over the course of the final few minutes, and the Eagles took a 53-40 lead into halftime.
The Moccasins shot the ball well in the first half, over 56% as a team, with Anderson leading the squad with 13 points.
Florida Southern showed signs of life in the second half, trimming the deficit to ten in the opening minute of the frame, with the Eagles up 56-44. That would be the closest the Moccasins would get until there was under five minutes remaining.
Embry-Riddle vehemently answered any Moccasin scoring runs to maintain leads of up to 19 points over the course of the second half, and time ran out on Florida Southern as they were unable to bring the game within reach by the sound of the final buzzer. The Eagles closed out the game with timely stops and good free-throw shooting in the final minute to earn the victory, 106-95.
Booth finished with 28 points, including 20 in the second half, while
Connor Raines posted 17 points, all of which came in the second half, to keep the Mocs in it.
Both teams shot 54% from the field, and recorded ten turnovers, but the Eagles greatly out-rebounded the visiting Moccasins 41-29 in what was one of the biggest difference makers that spoiled any chances of a late rally.
Florida Southern will turn their attention to Wednesday night when they'll host the resurgent Saint Leo Lions, while the Eagles will battle Florida Tech on the road.
