MOCS 3-0

[E.T.]

Story to follow.

Player of the Game

Blake Williams

8 Points & 15 Rebounds

[E.T.]

DUNBAR AND WILLIAMS LEAD SECOND HALF SURGE FOR WIN OVER VIRGINIA STATE

MONTEVALLO, AL – Hurley Dunbar scored a career-high 19 points and Blake Williams had a career-high 15 rebounds to lead Florida Southern to a 76-65 win over Virginia State at the University of Montevallo Classic on Saturday.

The game featured several momentum swings but the final one belonged to the Moccasins (3-0). Down 57-52 with less than nine minutes to play, the Mocs went on a 15-3 run over the next seven minutes to pull ahead for good. Dunbar scored the Mocs’ first six points during that run, the last two coming after his steal at midcourt led to a break-away layup that tied the game at 58.

Virginia State (0-3) quickly answered with Michael Askew scoring on a fast break before the Mocs could get set on defense. That put the Trojans back on top, 60-58, but it would be four-and-a-half minutes before they’d score again while the Moccasins scored the next nine points of the game.

Williams, who scored all eight of his points in the final 11 minutes, tied the game with a second-chance basket at the 6:08 mark. Dale Parsons then gave Florida Southern the lead with a 3-pointer on its next possession. After a two-minute stretch where neither team scored, Williams dunked home a shot on a transition play from Michael Simms and followed that with a tip-in to give the Mocs a 67-60 lead with 2:49 remaining.

A 3-pointer by Askew broke Virginia State’s drought but the Mocs quickly answered with a three-point play from Arnaldo Abreu seconds later. They eventually sealed the outcome when Parsons and Dunbar each made two free throws in the final 50 seconds.

Most of the first half had belonged to Virginia State, which jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first three minutes. Simms kept the game reasonably close though with a pair of 3-pointers midway through the half but the Moccasins still trailed 26-19 nine minutes before halftime.

The Florida Southern defense finally asserted itself at that point, holding Virginia State to only five points over the next 11 minutes to span the two halves. The Mocs eventually took the lead at halftime, 34-31, after baskets by Parsons and Dwayne Abraham in the final 1:13 of the period.

The Moccasins came out strong in the second half too, scoring on their first three possessions to go ahead by 10. Parsons’ 3-pointer just over a minute into the half gave them a 41-31 lead but it wasn’t long before the Trojans had rallied behind Askew and Aubrey Brown who combined for 27 of Virginia State’s 34 points in the second half.

Dunbar had a big second half as well for Florida Southern, scoring 15 of his 19 points after the break. Parsons finished with 17 and Simms added 12. Abreu also scored in double figures for the Moccasins with 11 points but it was Williams who dominated the game late with eight points and eight rebounds in the final 11 minutes.

Askew scored 17 for the Trojans and Brown had 16.

Florida Southern returns home for its next game on Wednesday night against Puerto Rico-Bayamon at 7:30.

[Goldenbuc]

Good for them!!  I have some friends that went there.

[E.T.]

Good for them!!  I have some friends that went there.

This could be our National Championship team. Was hoping we could have played you instead of Rollins, they're in our conference.

Published Sunday, November 20, 2005

Dunbar, Williams Lead FSC

Ledger Staff, Wire Reports

MONTEVALLO, Ala. -- Hurley Dunbar scored a career-high 19 points and Blake Williams had a career-high 15 rebounds to lead Florida Southern to a 76-65 win over Virginia State at the University of Montevallo Classic on Saturday.

The game featured several momentum swings but the final one belonged to the Moccasins (3-0). Down 57-52 with less than nine minutes to play, the Mocs went on a 15-3 run over the next seven minutes to pull ahead for good. Dunbar scored the Mocs first six points during that run, the last two coming after his steal at midcourt led to a breakaway layup that tied the game at 58.

Virginia State (0-3) quickly answered with Michael Askew scoring on a fast break before the Mocs could get set on defense. That put the Trojans back on top, 60-58, but it would be four-and-a-half minutes before they'd score again while the Moccasins scored the next nine points of the game.

Florida Southern returns home for its next game on Wednesday night against Puerto Rico-Bayamon at 7:30 p.m.