Florida College Leads from Start to Finish to Defeat SMC

Tampa, Fla. – Host Florida College scored the first nine points of the game en route to a 90-74 win over the Spartanburg Methodist College men's basketball team on Friday night.

SMC (5-10, 2-1 CAC) had five players in double figures as Tavarez Lacey led the Pioneers with 17 points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds in the loss. Richard Rojas and Kelton Teasley each had 13, Bryan Bayonne had 12 and Isaac Gray scored 11 for the Pioneers. 

The Royals (6-13, 1-1 CAC) were led by Malik Beauford and Nate Dada, who scored 25 and 22 points, respectively. The two combined for nine 3-pointers as Florida College shot 56.1% (32-for-57) from the field and 54.5% (12-for-22) from the 3-point line. The two were joined in double figures by Isiah Shirley, who had 12 points.

Despite the early deficit, SMC came back with a 9-1 spurt to make it a 10-9 contest with 13:26 after a Kelton Teasley dunk. The Falcons remained in front for the rest of the game as they scored eight-straight on its way to a 44-28 halftime lead. Bayonne had eight points against his former teammates in the first half. Lacey had seven of his points and five of his rebounds for the Pioneers.

SMC mounted a comeback with a 19-6 run midway through the second half made it a seven-point game, 69-62 with 9:19 to go in the contest. The host Falcons came back with a 10-2 spurt to thwart the comeback hopes and push the lead to double digits for the rest of the contest.