DELAND, Fla. – Stetson men's basketball picked up its third win in three ASUN contests, beating Jacksonville, 73-61, Thursday night in the Edmunds Center. The win equaled the best start in ASUN play in program history, tying the 1997-98 team's 3-0 start.
Stetson remains undefeated in 2023 (8-6, 3-0 ASUN) and in the Edmunds Center. JU (8-6, 1-2 ASUN) road woes continue as they have lost the last three road contests.
"Jacksonville is a great team and we were preparing for them," junior forward
Josh Smith said "Before the game, we all got each other locked in for this big game. We are such a deep team, so everyone brings something. Tonight, Wheza [Panzo] was making some crazy shots, Steph [Swenson] just really runs the team [well]. Jalen [Blackmon] and Luke [Brown] have been chipping in big time."
Blackmon knocked down a three 20 seconds into the game, but the defenses locked in as it was 110 seconds before the next basket was scored, the Dolphins cutting the deficit to one, 3-2. Stetson found rhythm following that make, stretching the advantage to seven [9-2] with
Sam Peek hitting a pair of jumpers with
Josh Smith adding another basket on the 6-0 run. The offense continued to thrive as Alec Olgesby knocked down a three at the 8:39 mark to increase the advantage to double digits, 26-14. Stetson closed the first half on a 13-6 run to take a 17-point lead into the break [43-26].
With the home side knowing the visiting Dolphins would battle until the end, SU held off the opposition, but JU made a run on the Hatters, cutting the advantage to single digits after a three went in at the 12:19 mark of the second half, making the score 48-39. Panzo answered the bell on the following possession, knocking down a shot from behind the arc. The game floated at a 10-point margin with the teams trading baskets until
Luke Brown knocked down a three and picked up a foul in the process. After the made free throw to convert the four-point play [65-50 with 4:53 left], the Dolphins were unable to get closer than 12 points behind the Hats.
Stetson's advantages all seemed to culminate in tonight's game. The strategy of utilizing depth to keep everyone fresh played a factor. Intelligent play with the ball limited turnovers to eight total. Unselfish play led to 18 assists on 26 made field goals. In the first half, finding the hot shooting hand and in the second half, firm defense to grind out the streaks when the shots were not falling. Lastly, one of the most important aspects of the game and this team, 10-of-12 from the foul line with a perfect 5-for-5 in the second half when JU attempted to foul in an attempt to extend the game.
The Hatters had four players in double figures with Panzo [15] leading the way. Brown notched 13 off the bench and
Sam Peek recorded a personal season-high of 12. Swenson notched a game-high seven assists for the second ASUN contest in a row. Smith was two rebounds shy of a double-double, scoring 14 points and collecting a game-high eight boards; his third game in a row pacing the team in rebounds. Smith is averaging 11 rebounds per ASUN contest.
"It's really just playing with confidence," Smith said about his outstanding recent performances "My teammates have given me confidence and we just got it [momentum] rolling right now."
Stetson will start its second ASUN road trip, this time a three-game swing, heading to North Alabama Saturday. The tip against the Lions scheduled for 8:15 p.m. (7:15 p.m. local). Following that, the Hats travel to the Bluegrass State facing Bellarmine then Eastern Kentucky.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS (PDF).
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