Stetson was able to outlast Florida Gulf Coast, Saturday afternoon, winning 61-60 as
Aubin Gateretse tallied his eight double double. Gateretse scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and tallied two blocks.
Coming into this game, Stetson was able to clinch a berth in the ASUN Championship after the results of the ASUN slate on Thursday. They were the second team to clinch this season behind Eastern Kentucky.
The Hatters were able to take an early 13-4 lead over the Eagles because of a 9-0 run including six points from Gateretse. The Eagles answered with six straight points of their own, but
Jalen Blackmon was able to stop that run with a layup to make it 15-10. Florida Gulf Coast soon tied the game at 15 before taking a four-point lead. Stetson would rally back and tie the game at 19 before a Gateretse layup returned the lead. The Eagles retook the lead on a three, but
Stephan Swenson hit a layup putting the Hatters back ahead. The two teams continued to battle throught the last four minutes. An
Alex Doyle three pointer from the corner gave the Hatters a 32-28 lead going into halftime.
Coming out of halftime
Alec Oglesby grabbed an offensive rebound and drained a three giving the Hatters a seven-point lead. The Eagles answered with a three of their own, but the Hatters went on a 7-2 run to push their lead to nine. Ending that run was a
Treyton Thompson corner three making it 42-33. Florida Gulf Coast didn't go away as they retook the lead. Now down three the Hatters went to the paint finding Gateretse for back-to-back buckets returning the lead to Stetson. Oglesby would hit from downtown again on their next possession putting the Hatters out front 49-45 with 10 minutes left. The two teams continued battling until with just over three minutes left the Eagles were able to take back the lead. On Stetson's next possession they turned to the hot hand of the night and Gateretse was able to convert the layup giving the Hatters the lead back once again. After a steal on the defensive end by Gateretse,
Cyncier Harrison hit nothing but net from beyond the arc making it 60-56. The Eagles made it 60-58 and Gateretse would get fouled going up for a layup and go to the line. He went one for two making it 61-58. Florida Gulf Coast hit two free throws and after the Hatters inbounded the ball the Eagles defense forced a jump ball. The jump ball gave the possession to the Eagles with 30 seconds left. They missed their layup and fouled Swenson with seconds left on the clock. Swenson went to the line for a 1 and 1 but his first attempt caught the iron. The Eagles half court heave was just off target giving the Hatters a 61-60 victory.
Gateretse lead the team in points with 23 which was his second most points scored in a game in his career. He was also the team leader in rebounds with 12 and blocks with two. The only other Hatter in double figures was Swenson with 11. He tallied a team high seven assists. As a team, Stetson shot 41.4 percent from the field, 20 percent from three and 66.7 percent from the free throw line.
The Hatters will look to extend their win streak as they host Queens on Thursday, Feb. 22 for the Green Out Game. That game will tip off in the Edmunds Center at 7pm.
