TAMPA, Fla. (November 7, 2019) – Rollins stingy defense gave Tampa fits all afternoon as the Tars earned a 58-47 win against the Spartans on Saturday afternoon.
Rollins (5-3, 1-1 Sunshine State Conference) held UT to just 38 percent shooting and outrebounded its host 34-24. The Tars knocked down 50 percent from the field.
Hutton Yenor and Brooks Cluxton both scored 13 to lead Rollins. Yenor added four rebounds and three assists while Cluxton contributed three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Dayton Gumm scored 10 and Jakboi Bonner hauled in a team-high nine boards.
Tampa (2-7, 0-3 SSC) got 12 points each from Pat Bacon and Martin Lakovic, who also grabbed 10 rebounds.
A slow start for both teams had Tampa leading 4-3 nearly four minutes into the game. Layups by Gumm and Cluxton on the Tars next two possessions built momentum as Rollins ran out to a 17-10 lead midway through the first.
Rollins led by as many as 10 in the first before taking a 32-23 lead into intermission.
The Tars held UT to just three points over the first six minutes of the second half and blew the game open, leading 44-26 after a Cluxton three-point play. Tampa was just 1-for-8 with three turnovers during the span.
The Spartans came back and cut Rollins' lead to 48-40 with 7:13 left. Trevor Recio drained a deep triple and followed with a layup to give the Tars some breathing room at 53-40 with 5:16 to go. Tampa would get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Rollins is back on the road Saturday, December 14 visiting SSC preseason favorite, second-ranked Nova Southeastern. Tip off is set for 4 p.m. in Ft. Lauderdale. Fans can follow the action live on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
