LAKELAND, Fla. - Eckerd men's basketball coach
Tom Ryan usually preaches three things that his team needs to be successful: defense, rebounding, and intensity.
The Tritons brought all three with plenty to spare on Sunday in the Sunshine State Conference championship game, using an early 23-0 run to construct a huge lead on the way to a 96-71 win over Barry University in Florida Southern's Jenkins Fieldhouse.
The win gave Eckerd its fifth all-time SSC tournament title, which is tied for the second-most in conference history.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 96, Barry 71
Records: Eckerd 24-6, Barry 20-8
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 45-13
KEY MOMENTS
- It took very little time for the Tritons to take complete control of the game. After Barry went ahead 7-5, Eckerd went on an unbelievable 23-0 run scoring on eight straight possessions and 10 of 12 possessions during the stretch.
- Eckerd kept its foot on the gas throughout the remainder of the first half, continuing to add to its lead by outscoring the Bucs, 22-13, to carry a 56-27 lead into halftime.
- Barry upped its defensive pressure in the second half, trapping in the full and half court causing the Tritons some issues with getting into their offense. After going ahead by 32 early in the half, Eckerd saw its lead dwindle to 18 (75-57) with 9:18 left.
- A 3-pointer by Marco Behori with 7:20 left gave the Tritons a shot in the arm, triggering a 14-3 run that pushed EC's lead back to 29 with just under three minutes to play.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The win brought Eckerd its fifth tournament title, tied with Rollins and Tampa for the second-most in SSC history. It was also the team's second in the last three years.
- Behori was named the tournament MVP on the heels of another magnificent performance with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and six steals. Trevon Young and Keshawn Ingram also earned all-tournament honors.
- Drushaun McLaurn returned to the lineup with a vengeance, scoring 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to pace a dominant effort on the boards for Eckerd. The Tritons out-rebounded Barry, 51-29, their third-highest rebound margin of the season.
- Eckerd went a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line in the first half and made its first 17 attempts before finally missing in the second half.
UP NEXT
Eckerd awaits its opponent in this week's NCAA South Region Tournament. The men's selection show begins at 10:30 PM.
