The Rollins Tars and Florida Tech Panthers will square off Wednesday in a key SSC matchup at Warden Arena inside the Alfond Sports Center. Both teams are looking to improve chances of making the post season prior to the end of the regular season Saturday.
Rollins (9-17 2-12 SSC) is facing a must win situation. To have any chance of making the conference tournament at Siliver Spurs Arena next week the Tars must win the remaining two games and get some help. As always you can catch all the action on the Geico Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park will broadcast the game with Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Robert Siegel on the call.
The Tars were a 73-63 loser to Tampa last time out. Despite the defeat Jeff Dirkin had his best night in a Rollins uniform. The senior from Oak Park,Illinois had a career high 24 points- to go along with eight rebounds- a pair of steals- and- three blocked shots. He was 3-of-3 from the 3-point line and went 10-of-14 from the field in the game. Three other Tars scored double figures in the contest. Alex Blessig had 12- Jeff Merton netted 11- and- Sharif Almulla chipped in 10.
Blessig leads the Rollins box score on the season at 11.9 points per game. The junior transfer from Florida Gulf Coast also dishes out 3.7 assists a game- to go along with 2.2 steals a night which is third in the SSC. Merton has had an unbelievable surge in the second half of the conference schedule to up his average to 10.7 points per contest- The freshman from Naples is leading the squad in rebounding at five rebounds per contest. Sharif Almulla has also had a solid second half of the conference season and is putting up 10.4 points a game.
The Tars are second in the SSC on defense, allowing just 68.9 points a game. The offensive end has been a struggle all season long, as evidenced by the 68.3 points per game.
Florida Tech (14-12 4-10 SSC) can wrap up a trip to the conference tournament with a win Wednesday. The Panthers have lost four of the last five. They come into Wednesday in a three way tie for sixth in the conference with Eckerd and Saint Leo.
The Panthers last time out was a 77-71 loss to Nova Southeastern. The Panthers had three players tally double figures in the loss. Jermaine Jackson had 16- Chris Carter stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points- 10 rebounds- and- nine assists. Caleb Wigginton added 15.
Carter leads the Tech box score at 14 points a night- Corbin Jackson averages a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds.) Jermaine Jackson (11.7 ppg) and Jordan Majors (10.8 a night) round out the double digit scorers.
The Panthers are fourth in the SSC in scoring at 75.7 points per game. At the other end they are last in the league allowing 76.1 a night.
The two teams met earlier in the season with Tech pulling out a 69-65 win at the Clemente Center.
The line presented by JuanBernalSportsBooks.com: Rollins by 1.5
Other SSC lines:
Barry -7.5 vs Lynn
Southern -8.5 vs Tampa
Eckerd -2 vs Saint Leo
SSC Standings:
Florida Southern 13-1 (25-1)
Barry 12-2 (21-3)
Lynn 10-4 (18-6)
Tampa 9-5 (17-8)
Nova Southeastern 6-9 (11-14)
Florida Tech 4-10 (14-12)
Saint Leo 4-10 (12-14)
Eckerd 4-11 (11-14)
Rollins 2-12 (9-17)
South Region Rankings have not been updated since the last game was played.
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