WINTER PARK, Fla. (January 28, 2009) – Kevin
Hogan was perfect from the free throw line and hung 22 points,
leading Rollins to a 77-61 victory over Eckerd Wednesday
evening.
Rollins improves to 15-4 overall and finishes the first half of
the Sunshine State Conference schedule tied atop the standings at
7-1. The Tars will meet the team they share the top spot with,
Florida Southern, on Saturday in Lakeland.
Hogan was 7-for-7 from the stripe and 3-for-7 from beyond the
arc to lead the Tars with 22 points. Nick
Wolf posted 15 points and added eight rebounds while Zach
Pancratz chipped in 14 to go along with five assists. Jeremy
Sharpe gave Rollins four players in double figures with 11
points.
Kornilous Donnell paced Eckerd (9-10, 1-7 SSC) with 17 points
off the bench. Trevor Lee added 15 points and a game-high 11
rebounds.
Both teams found their stroke in the first half with the Tars
hitting 11-of-26 (42 percent) and Eckerd shooting 10-of-23 (44
percent). The second period was a different story as Rollins ended
up 21-for-46 (45 percent) for the game and held the Tritons to
21-for-53 (39 percent).
Eckerd tallied a 33-30 edge in rebounds with the Tars only
committing nine turnovers to 14 by the Tritons.
The Tars started the game on a 5-0 run, but Eckerd responded
with a 10-0 spurt of their own to take a 10-5 lead five minutes
into the contest. Both teams then settled down to tie the score at
15 with 11 minutes to go. Craig
Reichel drained a three to put the Tars back on top, only to
have Eckerd post a small run and earn a four point advantage. The
battle continued through the period with Rollins holding a 36-33
advantage at intermission.
Rollins owned the second half, racing out to a 49-37 lead over
the first five minutes. Eckerd continued to struggle from the field
while Hogan heated up from the outside as the Tars built a lead of
26, 69-43, with just under seven minutes to play.
Eckerd fouled late to extend the game, but Rollins was able to
make good from the free throw line to post their fourth straight
win.
Rollins and Florida Southern will match up on Saturday, January
31 at 7:30 p.m. with the winner sitting alone in first in the SSC
standings. Fans can catch all the action from Lakeland on the
Citizens Bank of Florida Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com
and locally on 91.5 FM, WPRK.
