Sweet 16! Tars Advance To Regional Final by Dismantling Delta State.

The Rollins Tars are headed to the South Region Finals after a 88-61 drubbing of Delta State in the NCAA South Regional Semifinals at Spragins Hall on the campus of the University of Alabama-Huntsville on Sunday. For the first time in a while for the Tars they were able to cruise to a victory after building a big lead. Rollins will face host and top seeded Alabama-Huntsville in the Regional Final on Tuesday Night at 8 PM Eastern time.
  Sam Philpott and Jeff Merton each poured in a game high 22 points to lead the Tars attack. Eric Castaneda turned in a 14 point- 10 rebound effort off the Rollins bench in the victory. 10 Rollins players found the scoring column in this decisive victory. Rollins shot 48 percent as a team- went 17-30 (57 percent) from the 3-point line, including 12-18 in the first half. They shot 71 percent (15-21) from the free throw line. Rollins had 16 assists and a season low six turnovers in this one. They also won the rebounding battle 38-32.
  The Statesman had three players tally double figures in the season ending loss. John Cornish led the way with 17 points- Devin Schmidt who was the all-time leading scoring in Gulf South Conference history was held to just 13- while Ravion Henry added 12.
 Delta State (23-9) shot 39 percent from the field in the defeat- they shot 31 percent (10-32) from the 3-point line. The Statesman struggled at the free throw line where they shot 58 percent (7-12.)  They had 16 assists and 12 turnovers.
 The Tars took a 8-2 lead into the first media of the the game. Delta State would cut it to one (8-7) before the Tars 3-point barrage began. Rollins next 10 baskets would all be from the 3-point line and they would build a 13 point lead (38-25) at the 4:20 mark of the half. The Tars would get a late 3-pointer from Castaneda and take a 14 point lead (46-32) into the locker room.
The second half would see the Tars build a 19-point lead (60-41) after a Merton slam that sent the Rollins bench into a frenzy. The Statesman would get to within 14 but that is as close as they would get the rest of the way.
  The Tars (23-10) who have now won 10 in a row and are the seventh seed in the region will play for the regional title for the third time in school history. In 2004 Rollins won the region, while they fell to Valdosta State in the regional final in 2010.
  Other South Regional Semifinal:
Alabama Huntsville 96 Barry 82
Tuesday's Regional Final:
#1 Alabama Huntsville vs #7 Rollins