WINTER PARK, Fla. (February 5, 2020) – Rollins gave fifth-ranked Nova Southeastern all it could handle, but came up short in its upset bid, falling to the Sharks 89-85.
The Tars, who had beat NSU earlier in the year as the nation's No 1 team, fall to 11-10 overall and 5-8 in Sunshine State Conference play. Nova Southeastern grabbed its seventh-straight win and improves to 17-2, 10-2 SSC.
Jakobi Bonner poured in 22 points and added six rebounds to lead the Tars. Connor Mckim netted 18 and handed out seven assists. Dayton Gumm scored 12 and Hutton Yenor 10.
Rollins kept pace with Division II's highest scoring offense, and led 28-22 with 9:41 to play in the first. The Sharks went on a run and grabbed a 33-30 lead just two minutes later but again the Tars responded and tied the score at 37 with 2:32 to play in the half.
Rollins went into the locker room down 43-39.
Three times the Tars tied the score in early in the second before NSU went up 69-61 with 7:27 to play. Mckim scored the game's next five points and the Tars stayed close before a RJ Sunaharar bucket to NSU back up five.
Gumm then got hot as the teams traded baskets until a Yenor score pulled the Tars to within 78-75 with 1:54 left.
Again both offense's matched and Rollins found itself down just two points and 33 seconds on the clock. Mikekel Kolstad got a pair at the line to make it a two possession game, but Bonner scored again to make it a two-point spread.
The teams then alternated free throws and the Tars couldn't get and edge down the stretch, falling by four.
Sunahara scored 25 and grabbed eight rebounds for the Sharks. Kolstad and Mark Matthews both netted 18 with Matthews hauling in a game-high 11 boards.
Rollins shot 49 percent from the field while NSU hit 50 percent and outrebounded the Tars 38-34.
The Tars are on the road for the next two visiting Saint Leo on Saturday, February 8 and then Florida Southern on Wednesday, February 12. Fans can catch the action live on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on 91.5 FM WPRK.
