Booth's 38 Points Lead #20 Mocs in Overtime Win Over Bearcats

LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 20 Florida Southern College men's basketball team outlasted Lander University with a 100-98 overtime win on Saturday night in the Mocs Christmas Classic at Jenkins Field House.
 
The Moccasins (11-2, 3-1 SSC) overcame a first-half deficit with a stellar second half to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Bearcats (6-4, 1-0 PBC) could not stop Jadin Booth in the closing minutes with an overtime loss in the first matchup between these two teams.
  
Florida Southern was led by Booth's 38 points, a season-high and just one point shy of tying his career high. A factor in all categories of the court, Booth dished five assists and snagged five rebounds in his big game. Peyton Gerald had a career night with 21 points, a new best, and six rebounds. Alex Steen led the team with 14 boards and another 20-point performance. Joe Moon IV was the final Moccasin in double digits with 12.

Lander had the advantage in shooting percentage, 51 percent to FSC's 43 percent, and both teams were even from behind the arc with 10 made 3's. The difference maker in the Mocs' win over the Bearcats was a near-perfect night at the line, shooting 22-of-23 free throws. LU outrebounded FSC by a narrow, two-board margin. Getting the whole roster involved, nearly half of Lander's points were off the bench.  
 
Inady Legiste led the Bearcats in scoring with 27 points off the bench, shooting 13-of-16 before having his night cut short by foul trouble. Noah Dunn was next with 18 points, and Tim Steele (14p) and Dominic Standford (10p) were the final Lander players in double digits.
 
Lander University had a hot start with six unanswered points to start the game before FSC could respond and stop the streak. The Bearcats were up by as much as 11 at the period's midpoint as the Mocs struggled from behind the arc and rebounding. FSC had a spark with some points by Gerald, including a big three to cut the game within three. A 5-0 run brought the game within reach and the Mocs went into halftime down by four, 50-46.
 
FSC opened strong with a pair of Booth 3's, which tied the game at 54 in the half's opening minutes. FSC took its first lead of the day with a three by Booth with 14 minutes left in the half, 62-61. The Bearcats responded with a six-point lead with under 10 minutes to go with big points in the paint. Momentum moved to the Mocs after a big slam by Steen plus a free throw to get within one at the under-eight media timeout, 78-77. A back-and-forth contest went into overtime after a last-second bucket by the Mocs missed, 91-91.
 
Despite Lander making a three to open scoring in overtime, Florida Southern's Booth took over with nine points in five minutes to outlast Lander 100-98.
 
The Mocs will wrap up the calendar year with a matchup against the University of New Haven tomorrow, Dec. 22, with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff at Jenkins Field House.
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