Tars Take Down Vaqueros in Third Game in Three Days

WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 24, 2021) – The Tars performed when they needed to down the stretch, as they downed the Puerto Rico-Bayamon Vaqueros by a score of 86-75, finishing their Thanksgiving Week on a positive note.  The Tars improve to 5-2 overall. Puerto Rico Bayamon falls to 0-2 on the year.
 
Hutton Yenor led the Tars with a 21 point performance.  The senior was dangerous all night attacking the basket, and finished the contest 10-13 from the field.  Cade Long added 19 points on 7-10 shooting, including going 3-6 from behind the arc.  Kyle Marion filled the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals.  The Tars dominated points in the paint, scoring 34 from in tight, and shot 87.5% from the charity stripe to help them clinch the win.
 
Bryan Gonzalez tallied a game high 27 to pace the Vaqueros attack.  Sebastian Santiago went 5-10 from three point range as part of his 18 point afternoon.  Luis Vazquez tallied a game high eight assists for Puerto Rico-Bayamon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Half

• Both teams traded scores early, with a Cade Long three pointer putting the Tars on top by four, 9-5, just past the 16 minute mark.
• The Vaqueros tied the game at 9-9 before a Hutton Yenor transition dunk restored the Tars lead.
• A Will Erickson three gave the Tars a six point advantage at the half way point of the period.
• Puerto Rico Bayamon would spend the next five minutes clawing back into the contest, taking the lead with 5:15 on the clock, 27-26.
• Rollins would pull away in the closing minutes of the half, with Yenor hitting a driving layup with less than a minute remaining to make the score 40-31, giving the Tars their biggest lead of the first 20 minutes.
• The Vaqueros sunk a pair of free throws late to send the teams into the locker rooms with the score at 40-33.

Second Half

• Puerto Rico-Bayamon increased their intensity in the second half, and opened the period on a 14-4 run, grabbing a three point lead with 15 minutes to go.
• Rollins recovered and the two teams battled for most of the second half.
• With the score tied at 59, and 7:26 on the clock, Long hit a three pointer to give the Tars a lead they would never surrender.
• An and-one dunk by Matej Susec iced the game away for the Tars, giving Rollins a double-digit lead with just one minute remaining.
• Yenor hit a driving layup to give Rollins their largest lead of the game, at 12, and Kyle Marion made his free throws down the stretch, as Rollins closed out the contest.

UP NEXT:
Rollins will return to action on Wednesday, December 1, when they host Embry-Riddle in Sunshine State Conference action.  Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
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