The men’s basketball team played a pair of road games last week, defeating the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 97-93 on Thursday, Feb. 15, and losing at Stetson 86-74 on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Nick Masterson and James Scott led the Owls to victory against FGCU, each scoring 27 points. The Eagles, who were previously undefeated in Atlantic Sun Conference play this season, had their 15-game winning streak against the Owls snapped.
First coming into the national spotlight during the 2013 NCAA Tournament after upsetting Georgetown, the Eagles have since been the dominant force in the ASUN. The Owls managed to overcome the constant pressure of their opponent to achieve a fourth straight victory.
The game opened with an aggressive run by the Eagles, but senior Jordan Jones helped bring the Owls back into the game, continuing his good form into his final season. Soon after, Scott began to fire up, scoring 10 straight points to put the Owls ahead, and Masterson added by hitting nine of his 13 field goal attempts.
After the Owls led by as much as 15 points in the second half, the closing minutes became close. With two minutes remaining, the Owls still led by nine points, but in just 80 seconds the lead was cut to one.
The Eagles tied the game at 92 points with just 20 seconds left, but Kyle Clarke put in a quick layup to help the Owls regain the lead.
A missed free throw by the Eagles gave the ball back to the Owls for good, and they ran out the clock to victory, gaining their first win against FGCU in seven years.
In Saturday’s game against Stetson, the Owls were unable to replicate their success from two days earlier.
A balanced score sheet kept the Owls in contention for most of the game, but their slim halftime lead was overtaken by a decisive 14-2 run by the Hatters. Masterson and Anthony Wilson led the team with 14 points each and helped the team shoot 57 percent from the field.
The loss ended the Owls’ longest winning streak in eight seasons, but they have a chance to regain momentum in their final game before the ASUN Tournament.
Lipscomb will be the final regular-season opponent of the year for the Owls, and that game will be played on the road in Nashville, Tennesee, on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
