WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 11, 2023) - Rollins and Spring Hill needed extra time in the first game of the year for the Tars, who ultimately fell short against the Badgers, 65-63. Rollins is 0-1, while Spring Hill improves to 1-1. 

Matheus Silveira scored the first bucket of the year on a feed from Cade Long, followed by five straight from the Badgers. It would stay a one possession game all the way to the first media timeout with Spring Hill up 9-7. 

The next few minutes so a slow down in pace as the two teams struggled from the floor. Down 21-16, Rollins scored on four straight possession with two makes from Jaden Frazier, a jumper from Sergey Grishaev, and a layup from Braxton Barnhizer to retake the lead 24-21 with seven to play .

The Badgers would retake the lead late in the half, but a Cade Long finish at the rim with under a minute to go made it a 29-28 game at the break in favor of Spring Hill. 

Rollins shot 42% in the first half compared to 31% for Spring Hill, but the Badgers had six hits from long distance while the Tars did not make a three in the first half. 

Free throws from Cody Potter and a Barnhizer triple gave Rollins a lead early in the second half, one they would not relinquish for the rest of the half. Everytime Spring Hill made a run, it seemed that the Tars were ready to respond. A pair of freebies from Barnhizer gave Rollins a six-point advantage with eleven minutes to go. Neither team would score for the next three minutes until Frazier went up-and-under for a layup to make it 46-38. 

With under four minutes to go, the Badgers scored on four consecutive possessions to make it 56-52 Tars. Steven Lyles connected on a jumper, Potter missed a three for Rollins, and Walter Peggs had a dunk to tie things up at 56 with 90 seconds to play. After the two teams traded misses, Rollins looked to have things locked up when Silveira collected an offensive rebound, and hit Kyle Marion with a cross-court pass. The senior calmly nailed a triple to put the Tars up 59-56 with sixteen seconds to go. However, coming out of a timeout, the Badgers were able to find an open look for Lyles who hit from distance to send the game to extra time. 

Silveira and Long each hit shots to start the extra frame, but that would do it for the Rollins offense as they were held scoreless for the final 3:27 of play. Spring Hill took the lead on a Peggs triple with a minute to play, and Marion's attempt at an answer at the buzzer hit front rim to wrap things up. 

Potter led the Tars with 11 points while adding five rebounds. Barnhizer had ten, and also dished out five assists. Eight different Tars scored in this one. The Badgers were led by 20 from Lyles. 

Next up for Rollins is another home game, this time against Lincoln (PA). Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday, November 15.