1st HalfThe Sharks got off to a fast start, scoring the first six points of the game, before senior center
Jack Rauch drained a three pointer from deep on the right wing.
Minutes later, the Mocs tied the game on a layup by Rauch, before taking their first lead of the game on an alleyoop from senior forward
Brett Hanson to junior
Jalyn Hinton.
The teams traded baskets, until the Mocs built a four point lead, 18-14, on a free throw by junior guard
Brandon Carroll (6'7''-F).
After the 12-minute media timeout, the Mocs pushed the lead to six points, on a Hanson jumper.
Each team would score, with the Mocs not relinquishing the lead. With 8:28 remaining in the first half, senior guard
Jair Rodgers (5'11''-PG) made a layup, making the score 27-22.
Moments later Hanson hit one of his fade away turnaround jumpers, and the Mocs led 31-24, the largest lead of the game to that point.
With 4:34 to go in the half, Rauch was back at it, sending home a three-pointer to push the lead to nine. After a quick bucket by NSU, Rodgers sent home his own three-pointer, and the lead was up to ten, 41-31, heading into the media timeout.
The lead went to 11 on a Rauch uncontested layup, after Rodgers pulled the ball out of a scrum and made an easy pass to Rauch.
Rauch was not about to stop, and hit another three-pointer at 2:59, to make the score 46-34, a 12 point lead for the Mocs.
Southern kept trading two's for threes, and after a NSU layup, Carroll made a triple to push the lead to 13, 49-36.
After a pair of NSU free throws, Rauch was at it again, making a layup to push the Mocs over 50 points for the half with 2:04 to go.
The lead would touch 14 points on a Rodgers free throw, before settling back to 11 at the half, 54-43.
Through the first 20 minutes, Rach led all scorers with 20 points, while Rodgers had 15. Hanson had nine points and six assists.
2nd HalfAs fast paced as the first half was, the second half started rather slowly. Both teams missed shots, before the action picked up two minutes in.
Hanson would make a jumper from the top of the key, before a three-point play for NSU trimmed the lead to just nine points, 60-51, with 16:57 to play in regulation.
The Mocs would go on an 8-2 run to lead 68-53 with 16:07 remaining.
Eventually, the Sharks would go on their own run, this time 6-0, to trim the lead back to nine, 76-67, with 12:20 to play in regulation.
Each team made big shots, with the lead fluctuating anywhere between nine and 12 points.
At the 7:32 mark, the Sharks trailed by only eight, and seemed poised to make a final push.
Winning by seven points, 93-86, the Mocs instead rallied. Carroll and Hanson made back-to-back buckets, before a NSU three pointer. Hinton came back with a pair of free throws, and the Mocs now led 99-89 with 4:31 to play.
Moments later, the Mocs went on a 6-0 run to extend the lead back to 13 points, at 107-94, on a Hanson fast break layup.
Nova Southeastern would find traction offensively, but get no closer than six points, at 112-106, on a three-pointer.
However, the Mocs made their free throws down the stretch for the 118-109 final.
INSIDE THE NUMBERSHanson was named the SSC Tournament MVP, after being named the conference's Player of the Year earlier this week. Tonight, the senior scored 26 points, bringing his career total to 2,238 points, the third highest in school history. Additionally, he has grabbed 844 rebounds (6th all-time), dished out 439 assists (6th all-time), and forced 216 steals (4th all-time).
Hinton was also on the All-Tournament team, after being named the SSC Defensive Player of the Year earlier in the week. In the championship game, Hinton had 14 points, making all four shots he took, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots. Hinton continues to lead all of Division II in blocked shots with 3.41 per game.
Rauch had a career night en route to making the All-Tournament team, with 31 points, 20 of which came in the first half. He now has 1,188 career points. Tonight, he shot 10-of-15, including 5-of-8 from three point land.
Rodgers had a great effort, with 21 points, one off of his career-high. But his 21 points were enough to give him exactly 1,000 points scored in his two seasons in NCAA competition. A year ago, he scored 628 at Concord, and now has 372 with the Mocs.
This was the eighth time this season Florida Southern has scored at least 100 points. Tonight's 118 is the second highest scoring output of the season, as the Mocs dropped 119 on AIC back in December.
FSC shot 57.8% from the floor, while NSU shot 51.4%
NSU actually out-scored FSC in the second half, 66-64.
The Runnin' Mocs were at it again today, scoring 46 points on the fast break.
This will be the 31st NCAA appearance in school history, and the third in as many seasons.
This is the 25th time the Mocs have won the SSC post-season tournament, having defeated Nova Southeastern a year ago in the championship game. It's also the 23rd regular season title.
Southern is now 74-16 all-time in the SSC tournament.
SSC Tournament Final: Florida Southern - Nova Southeastern 118-109
SSC Tournament Semifinals:Florida Southern - Palm Beach Atlantic 93-78
Nova Southeastern - Embry-Riddle 80-77
Courtesy of Florida Southern Athletic Communications
Donnelly
