#19 Mocs' Rally Falls Short Against (RV) Sea Lions

LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 19 Florida Southern rallied to get within striking distance of (RV) Point Loma Nazarene late but the Moccasins fell short to the Sea Lions 90-85 at Streamline Sale Court inside the George W. Jenkins Field House in the Moccasins' final game of the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Sunday. 

With the 2024 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic closing out the initial three-year agreement with SCB, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, and Florida Southern College, the Moccasins finished with a 5-1 record hosting the event inside the Jenkins Field House. At the Hall of Fame Ceremony Friday night in Branscomb Auditorium on campus, Small College Basketball founder John McCarthy announced an extension of the Hall of Fame Classic for the next three years, 2025, 2026, and 2027 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla. 
 
Graduate Jadin Booth caught fire in his second game back for the Mocs (1-1) as he finished the game as the leading scorer on either side with 37 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. The Omaha, Neb. Native made a mark at the free throw line going 13-for-14, missing just his last attempt, and converting four three-pointers.
 
Alex Steen was second on the team in scoring with 18 points while Dominick Denny finished with 11. Steen hauled in a team-best seven rebounds as the Mocs lost the rebounding battle 45-35.
 
Point Loma (2-0), who received votes in the NABC Preseason Coaches' Poll, saw six players score in double-digits led by Luke Haupt's 15 points. Tyce Paulsen (14), Wynton Brown (12), Jaden Matingou (11), Luke Smith (11), and Coby Barnes (10), were the double-digit point scorers as Zack Paulsen finished just shy with nine points while leading the rebounding efforts with 10.
 
The Mocs would open the scoring on the night, but the Sea Lions would push to a 12-point lead, 27-15, at the 12-minute mark before Florida Southern eventually rallied to get within three at the 4:21 mark on a pair of Jadin Booth free throws (42-39). Point Loma ran to another nine-point lead but again Florida Southern answered and got within two at the half, 54-52.
 
Point Loma controlled the entire second half and pushed to a double-digit lead of 10, 72-62, at the 9:13 mark. A six-minute scoring drought would come to an end for the Mocs as Hugo Mattioli found Alex Steen for a fast break layup, 72-64.
 
Over the next two minutes, the Sea Lions extended their lead to 14, 82-68. Florida Southern would not fold and get within one possession on a four-point play by Jadin Booth as he drained a three and converted the free throw to make it 86-84 with 25 seconds left.  Point Loma's five free throws to Florida Southern's one in the closing seconds concluded the scoring as a last-second three from Booth wouldn't go, and the Sea Lions finished 2-0 at the classic with a 90-85 win.
 
Florida Southern will look to recover and get back to work as the Moccasins host Auburn Montgomery on November 8 at 3:30 p.m. and then Savannah State on November 9 at 7:30 p.m. Read Full Article