MOCS lose, 11-5 (2-3)

[E.T.]

DEFENDING SSC CHAMPS DEFEAT MOCCASINS

LAKELAND - Sheldon Edwards scored 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead four Knights in double figures as Lynn University downed Florida Southern, 76-60, in men's basketball Wednesday night.

The Knights (13-3, 5-0 Sunshine State Conference) scored the first six points of the game on baskets by Edwards, Marcus Hayes and Andrew Smith and never looked back. After the Moccasins (11-5, 2-3) pulled within 9-6, the Knights scored on six of their next seven possessions to take a 23-9 lead nine minutes into the game. That 14-3 run included 3-pointers by James Cage and Hayes, and another bucket by Edwards.

The Mocs then rattled off seven straight points and managed to pull within six points at halftime. That deficit came despite their one-for-10 shooting from behind the 3-point line in the first 20 minutes, and Lynn's six-for-14 effort.

A 3-pointer by Dale Parsons got the Moccasins within 43-41 at the 16:34 mark in the second half, but Hayes immediately answered for Lynn with a 3-pointer of his own, then connected on a short jumper moments later to push the lead back to seven. The two teams then swapped points over the next five minutes, but three straight baskets by Edwards, Evan Cohn and Hayes gave the Knights a 58-45 lead.

The Mocs could only cut the gap to single digits one more time the rest of the night. That came on a 3-point field goal by Michael Simms with 3:42 remaining. However, the Knights would out-score the Moccasins 8-0 the rest of the way.

With Edwards going eight-for-12 and Hayes going six-for-11, the Knights were able to shoot 53 percent from the floor in the game. They were also nine-for-21 from 3-point range, with Hayes and Andrew Smith each connecting on three, to finish with 15 points apiece; Hayes also had a game-high seven assists, while Smith handed out six. Cage added 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Hurley Dunbar led Florida Southern with 17 points and was six-for-14 from the floor, but the Moccasins shot just 38 percent as a team and were only four-for-22 from behind the 3-point arc. Simms scored 14, and Parsons scored 12 to go along with six assists.

Florida Southern goes on the road for its next game, facing Eckerd College in St. Petersburg on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is 2:00.

[Triple B]

Fair and balanced reporting ...... good job.

[E.T.]

Fair and balanced reporting ...... good job.

8)

Young Spartans Show How Far They've Come spartans beat

By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent

Published: Jan 20, 2006

TAMPA - Tom Jessee had a message for his basketball team Wednesday night. It was a message the coach probably didn't think he would be giving the Spartans so soon.

The UT women had just lost 71-58 to Sunshine State Conference rival Rollins, ranked 10th in Division II with a 14-0 record. While there was disappointment among the players, there was optimism for Jessee.

"What I told them in the locker room is, Rollins is the No. 1 team in the league and the 10th team in the country, and look where we were, four points down with less than four minutes to play," Jessee said. "We are that close."

When the season began, the only thing Jessee knew for sure about the UT women's program was that it was young, and probably a year away from contending for the conference title. Apparently, a year has turned into four minutes.

It was during those four minutes that Tampa's inescapable weakness - youth - showed. The Tars, who start three seniors, finished the game on a 12-3 run. The Spartans, who start three sophomores, couldn't counter the offense and defense they had studied on tape for an entire week.

There are few substitutes for the confidence and composure that come with experience. But with the loss, UT gained just that.

"We started hot, but they're a veteran ballclub and they pulled through," said Spartans guard Shay Mackey, a Durant High grad.

"Being a veteran ballclub, you have a lot of confidence and it comes through. You don't get rattled, and you know where the pressure points are in the game. That's the difference between being a veteran ballclub and being young."

[Warped]

Lynn is tough.  They pretty much took it to UT as well.

[E.T.]

Lynn leads the league ... they are very tough.

Love DII Basketball !