LAKELAND, Fla. – The 2024 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic opened the same way it has the past two seasons for Florida Southern College, as the No. 19 Moccasins defeated No. 1 Minnesota State Mavericks 91-86 in overtime at Streamline Sale Court inside the George W. Jenkins Field House.
In the first meeting since 1995, Florida Southern (1-0) knocked off Minnesota State (0-1) in overtime to move to 3-0 all-time; 68-60 win in 1990 and a 63-46 win in 1995.
Junior
Alex Steen picked up right where he left off in 2023-24 with his 17
th career double-double. The Panama City Beach, Fla. native finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds while notching five blocks on the night.
Jadin Booth in his first game back from Nov. 4, 2023, finished with 15 points, five steals, and four assists ahead of a quartet of Mocs with eight points.
Kristians Feierbergs,
Amare Miller, and
Hugo Mattioli all finished with eight points in their debuts for Florida Southern alongside
Joe Moon IV.
Peyton Gerald (7),
Dominick Denny (6), and
Ameer Ramadan (4) all closed the scoring for the Mocs.
Five Mavericks scored in double-digits led by Will Opshal with 15 points. Caden Kirkman finished with 14 points and eight boards while Kyreese Willingham, Harrison Braudis, and David Harmon all had 13.
Florida Southern led 43-38 at the half but Minnesota State used a 38-33 second half to bring the game to a 76-all time. Each team would rally throughout the entire contest and force the tournament's first overtime game, Florida Southern's
Peyton Gerald hit a free throw with 58 ticks left to tie the game at 76. The Mocs' defense stood tall as the Mavericks charged down court but Gerald blocked a jumper to give Florida Southern a chance to end it in regulation.
A block on the other end allowed for Minnesota State to have the possession with seven seconds. Kyreese Willingham had a chance for the Mavs but the ball clanked off the back iron and fell dead as the horn sounded.
MSU scored first in the overtime period but
Alex Steen returned the favor with a jumper (78-78). Willingham drove the lane and gave the Mavs another lead but was brief as
Joe Moon IV stepped in and delivered a three to push the Mocs ahead 81-80.
Booth swiped the ball away and found Gerald, who then found Steen in the paint, who flipped it up and fell for the and-one opportunity (83-80). Steen scored his 25th point at the free-throw line to give Florida Southern a four-point lead, but Minnesota State rushed back and tied it at 84 with 1:56 to play.
Kristians Feierbergs found Moon in the corner wide open, and the Detroit, Mich. native drained his second three to give Florida Southern another lead, 87-84. A strong Feierbergs rebound and
Jadin Booth transition layup pushed the game to five points, 89-84. Feierbergs would snag another rebound on another Mavs missed three which led to him heading to the line for a pair of free throws.
Feierbergs made both free throws to make it 91-84 with just eight seconds to go as the Mavericks would go down and score a last-second tip-in-layup as the final buzzer sounded 91-86 with the win going to the host, No. 19 Florida Southern.
Florida Southern returns to action at 5:45 p.m. Sunday against (RV) Point Loma inside the Jenkins Field House as the Moccasins and Sea Lions look to close out their play in the 2024 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
