ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (January 7, 2026) - Rollins faced a challenging road test against Eckerd and struggled to keep pace as the Tritons pulled away for an 82–56 Sunshine State Conference victory. The loss drops the Tars to 9-6, 3-4 SSC while the Tritons improve to 8-6, 2-5 SSC.
The opening minutes featured a back-and-forth rhythm, with Rollins finding some early offense through Ryan Renfro and Jah Nze, who attacked the basket and helped keep the score tight. Marshall Klug provided a spark from the perimeter with a timely three-pointer, allowing the Tars to briefly threaten Eckerd's early momentum. However, Eckerd began to assert itself midway through the half, stringing together defensive stops and converting on the other end.
Wyatt Triestman and Timothy Thompson were central to Eckerd's first-half surge, consistently scoring inside and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. As Rollins struggled to find sustained offensive flow, the Tritons gradually built separation and carried a 38–28 lead into halftime.
Eckerd wasted little time extending the advantage after the break. Carlos Cortijo found his rhythm offensively, scoring in transition and knocking down shots that pushed the lead into double figures. Triestman continued to pace the Tritons with a strong all-around performance, while Thompson's presence on the glass limited Rollins' opportunities for extra possessions.
Rollins battled throughout the second half, with Nze leading the way offensively. He finished with a team-high 15 points, frequently getting to the free-throw line and trying to keep the Tars within striking distance. Klug added 12 points, mixing perimeter shooting with trips to the line, but Rollins was unable to mount a sustained run. They were outscored 44-28 in the second half, and ultimately fell 82-56.
The Tars were only 16-47 (34%) from the floor, a far cry from their season average of 47%. They also managed only five three-pointers in 24 attempts, a season low for makes.
Rollins will look to bounce back on Saturday, January 10 when they host #3 Nova Southeaster at Warden Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00pm, following the women's game.
