Last Second Jumper Lifts #22 Mocs over #23 Spartans in Top 25 Matchup

TAMPA, Fla. – Jadin Booth hit a second-chance jumper in the final seconds to lift the No. 22 Florida Southern College men's basketball team over the No. 23 University of Tampa 82-81 at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center Tuesday night.
 
The Moccasins (8-2, 2-1 SSC) rose to the occasion in a top-25 matchup against their Sunshine State Conference rival, handing the Spartans (6-1, 0-1 SSC) their first loss of the season and first SSC matchup. Florida Southern moved up two spots in the latest NABC Coaches Poll, released today, to 22^nd after a 2-0 record last weekend in the Century Retail Thanksgiving Classic. Tampa entered the top 25 after receiving votes in last week's poll.

"I'm really proud of our guys finding a way to get a big road win," said head coach Mike Donnelly on the win. "Tampa is a good team. We stress all the time to the guys about winning scramble plays. Alex [Steen] made a huge play by grabbing the offensive rebound and getting the assist to Jadin [Booth]. Big time shot by Booth."
 
Booth and Alex Steen each had 22 points as team leaders, with 14 of Booth's points in a nail-biting second half. Steen recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 13 boards, as Booth nearly matched a double-double with nine assists and seven boards. Peyton Gerald went for 12 points, and 10 rebounds for his double-double, and the only other Mocs in double figures. Gerald and Amare Miller led the team with four blocks each and Hugo Mattioli had a team-high two made from deep in a slow day behind the arc.
 
FSC shot 44 percent from the field and won the rebound battle (45-to-44), though the 12-point advantage in the paint proved critical in the win. The Mocs combined for 11 blocks, a season-high, and added another six steals in the turnover battle. In comparison, UTampa shot 38 percent from the field and struggled at the line, converting seven of their 16 free throw attempts.
 
The Spartans were led by Amario Nimmers and Tyson Leitao, each with 21 points, and a double-double by Leitao with his 12 boards. Ryan Blount entered from the bench with 13 points, the only other Spartan with double-figure points. Kaden Froebe added 10 rebounds to his seven points.
 
Florida Southern controlled most of the first half, from a strong paint presence that scored 28 of their 40 first-half points. Out-shooting Tampa in the first 20 minutes, Steen and Gerald led the team with 10 points each as the Mocs struggled from beyond the arc, scoring just two of their attempts. FSC had a big 8-0 run halfway through the first half to climb to a 17-9 lead, though UTampa responded to bring the game within two at halftime, 40-38.
 
Down by two to start the second half, the Spartans took the lead two minutes in, 44-43, before trading scores over the next several minutes. With under 10 minutes left to go in the half, Tampa had a hot streak to go up by seven before a Moccasin timeout with seven to go. The timeout proved successful to keep the Spartans scoreless and allowing the Mocs to go up by four, 75-71, with under four minutes to go. A layup by Booth in the final seconds to tie the game was missed, though a rebound by Steen led to a second-chance three-pointer, which Booth nailed to win 82-81 over the Spartans.  
 
The Mocs return home to host Florida Tech on Saturday, Dec. 7, for a 6 p.m. tipoff inside Jenkins Field House.
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