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Spartans Hold On For Fourth Straight
December 29, 2018

Spartans Hold On For Fourth Straight

Big first half propels Tampa to SSC win.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The University of Tampa men's basketball team picked up its fourth straight win in a road victory over Sunshine State Conference foe Embry-Riddle University.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: Tampa Spartans 85, Embry-Riddle Eagles 73
Records: Tampa (8-4, 2-2 SSC), Shaw University Bears (8-7, 1-3 SSC)
Location: ICI Center || Daytona Beach, Fla.
All-Time Series: UT picked up its third straight win against ERAU and now leads the all-time series 7-3.


 HOW IT HAPPENED:

1st Half | Tampa built a comfortable lead in the opening half, leading by as many as 28 points before doubling-up the Eagles by a 46-23 score at the break. Three Spartans eclipsed double figures in the first 20 minutes, led by leading scorer Anthony Gamble's 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Vincent Biffle added 11 points while Alberto Moreno tallied 10. UT shot 60.7 from the field while holding the Eagles to a 29.4 percent clip. Tampa also forced 10 ERAU turnovers while committing just five.

2nd Half | The big halftime lead proved to be the difference as Embry-Riddle turned the tide in the second half, though it was unable to overcome the Spartans. In the half, the Eagles would outscore the Spartans 50-39 and cut the lead to just four points late in the half. With UT leading 61-57 at the 5:35 mark, Tampa would pull away once again on a basket by Freddie Ibrahim and a pair of Biffle free throws. The Spartans would then connect on 11-of-12 free throws in the final 2:12 to secure their second SSC victory.

INSIDE THE STATS:

  • Gamble would finish with a game-high 25 points. Going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, he also added six rebounds and a team-high three steals.
  • Biffle tallied 21 points while Moreno finished with 17.
  • Coming off the bench to net 10 points and nine rebounds was Cedric Belemene.
  • Biffle registered his third double-double of the season as the junior grabbed a team-leading 10 rebounds.
  • A team-high five assists was recorded by Moreno.

BEYOND THE BOX:

  • The fourth-straight win is a season-best for the Spartans, who last won four straight in the 2016-17 season.
  • UT has now won two straight SSC contests. 

UP NEXT: Tampa heads home to host Palm Beach Atlantic on Wednesday at 7:30 pm.

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