Team Effort Propels Spartans in South Region Win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The University of Tampa men's basketball team pulled off its second win in as many days with a victory against the Francis Marion Patriots in Eckerd's Thanksgiving Classic.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final Score: Tampa 72, Francis Marion 67
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (2-5), Francis Marion University Patriots (1-4)
Location: McArthur Center || St. Petersburg, Fla.
All-Time Series: Tampa wins the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

1st Half || Francis Marion was the first team on the board with two quick threes. Tampa started with a good sense of pace as they scored their first three baskets in transition. By the second media timeout, Tampa with shooting 69 percent from the field (9-13) and outrebounding the Patriots 10-4. The Spartans went on 15-0 run motivated by the work of Martin Lakovic draining an open three-pointer and working hard in the paint. A fastbreak basket by Derrick Felder pushed the Spartans lead to 16, that was his second basket of the game shooting 2-2. The Patriots went on a seven-minute scoring drought until their next basket came from layup inside the paint. Francis Marion then started to make a comeback as they went on 8-0 run that brought them back within reaching distance. The first half ended with Tampa leading 37-31.

2nd Half || Brent Duncan scored the first goal of the half, shooting 6-6 so far in the game. Pat Bacon had been hot still from his previous games dropping a total of 10 points in the second half alone. Within the 15^th minute, freshman Carl Swensen got to see the floor for the first time and drained a quick three-pointer and recorded a block in the next play on the defensive end. By the second media of the half, Tampa held the Patriots to a 25 percent field goal percentage. Marion went on two decent scoring runs that keep them in the game close to the end. However, the Spartans closed the game strong, 72-67.

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Four Spartans finished in double-digits figures: Bacon (24), Felder (13), Lakovic (13), and Duncan (14).
• Duncan shot 100 percent from the field (7-7).
• Felder filled the stat sheet with 13 points (6-10), 10 rebounds, three steals, and five assists.
• Lakovic finished with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
• As a team, Tampa shot 53.8 percent from the field.

BEYOND THE BOX:

• Lakovic grabbed a season-high of 12 rebounds and 13 points while recording his second double-double in a row.
• Freshman Jacob Harris scored his first basket as a Spartan from a made 3-pointer and pulled down three rebounds.
• Felder grabbed a season-high of 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT: The University of Tampa men's basketball team will return St. Petersburg to face Sunshine State Conference opponent Eckerd College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets: General admission ticket prices for all Tampa regular season athletic events are $5. Youth (ages 12 and under) are admitted free of charge. UT students and faculty/staff are admitted free with a valid Spartan ID.

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