Hot Shooting First Half Not Enough As Rollins Falls In SSC Quarterfinals

 The Rollins College Tars shot 71.4 percent from the field and 68.8 percent (11-16) from the 3-point line in the first half against Nova Southeastern at Rick Case Arena inside the Don Taft University Center. Against a lot of teams that would be good enough but when you play against the #1 team in the county you have to be nearly perfect. Rollins despite that hot shooting still trailed 55-52  at halftime. They would ultimately fall 104-91. With the loss Rollins season ends at 13-16 on the year. Nova Southeastern advances to the SSC Semifinals where they will host #4 Barry who knocked off #5 Tampa on Tuesday night in Miami. 

 Ricky Ghedini got Rollins on the board before six straight Sharks points. Jah Nze would nail a triple to knot the game at 6. After a Jaxson Nap trey NSU led 16-10. The Sharks would open up a double digit lead halfway through the first half. Down 34-23 at the 8:57 mark Rollins would get a spark off the bench as Michael Niemann would go on a personal 12-0 run as he knocked down four triples to give the Tars a 35-34 lead with 6:41 until halftime. NSU took a brief five point lead but Rollins would battle back and tie the game at 44 on a Jah Nze jumper with 2:24 in the opening stanza. After NSU again took the lead Nze would knot the game at 50 on his three with 48 seconds in the half. It would be a 55-52 lead for NSU at the half. NSU shot 58.3 percent in the first half, 33.3 percent (5-15) from the 3-point line, and 88.9 percent (8-9) at the free throw line. 

 Rollins came out of the locker room and regained the lead 62-61 on Nze's layup at the 16:55 mark. The next seven points would go the Sharks way. Trailing by six Michael Kalina would hit a triple of his own at the 11:25 mark and Rollins trailed 75-72. Before you knew it NSU led by double digits again (84-74) after Eli Allen scored with 7:54 on the clock. The lead grew to 16 and stayed in double digits until a last push by the Tars got them within nine on a pair of occasions. NSU would close it out late to advance to the SSC Semifinals and beat Rollins for the third time this season. Nze paced Rollins with 22 points, Ghedini had 17, and Niemann knocked down five triples to get his 15 points. The Tars shot 58.6 percent from the field, 48.3 percent (14-29) from the 3-point line, and 64.3 percent (9-14) at the free throw line. Rollins had 17 assists and 18 turnovers in the contest. 

 NSU was paced by Ross Reeves with 32 points, Nap added 19, Allen tallied 15, Bennett Kayser chipped in 12, while Dallas  Graziani scored 11 to go with 12 assists.  NSU shot 55.9 percent from the field, 34.6 percent (9-26) from the 3-point line, and 73.1 percent (19-26) from the free throw line. The Sharks won the rebounding battle 31-30. They had 22 assists and five turnovers in the contest. 

 Other SSC Quarterfinal Scores: 

#2 Palm Beach Atlantic 88 #7 Lynn 82 

#4 Barry 96 #5 Tampa 85 

#3 Florida Southern 90 #6 Embry-Riddle 86 

SSC Semifinals: 

#4 Barry vs #1 Nova Southeastern 

#3 Florida Southern vs #2 Palm Beach Atlantic 

SSC Finals: 

Sunday