DELAND, FL – Josh Massey scored 17 points to help lead Stetson past West Georgia, 82-78, in a thrilling contest. The Hatters were red-hot from beyond the arc, shooting 61.1 percent (11-18) and totaling 33 points from three-point range.
"I'm so proud of our guys tonight," said Head Coach Donnie Jones. "West Georgia really pushed us, especially down the stretch, but we showed a lot of heart and composure to handle the pressure and finish strong. Games like this test your toughness, and I loved how our team stayed together and made the plays we needed to hang on for the win. It was a great team effort, and I'm excited to see how we keep growing from here."
Stetson jumped out to an early lead, opening the game with a 10-0 run in the first two minutes. The Hatters continued to dominate, extending their advantage to 25 points, 31-6, just eight minutes into the game. However, West Georgia began chipping away at the deficit, and Stetson went into halftime leading 44-36. At the break, the Hatters were shooting 61 percent from the field and 58 percent from three-point range. Both Abramo Canka and Massey led Stetson with 11 points apiece.
In the second half, West Georgia continued to rally and eventually tied the game at 62 with just under 10 minutes remaining. Canka responded with a clutch three-pointer, putting Stetson back up 65-62. The Wolves briefly took the lead with five unanswered points, but Jordan Wood answered with a deep three of his own, giving the Hatters a 68-67 lead. West Georgia then regained the advantage, 74-71, but Stetson refused to back down. Massey scored in the paint to cut the deficit to one, and after a key defensive stop, Canka grabbed a rebound and drew a foul. He sank both free throws to tie the game at 74. The two teams exchanged baskets in a back-and-forth finish, but Stetson's free-throw shooting and defensive stops in the final minutes sealed the 82-78 victory.
"It's hard to beat a team twice," said Josh Massey. "Down the stretch the team was able to find me with the ball and I was able to make the play. Coach has been on us all week about changing defenses, switching it up and being ready on the fly. As soon as he told us to switch it, we were on it and that is what helped us win the game."
The Hatters had a balanced offensive attack, with all five starters reaching double figures. Massey led the team with 17 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Canka added 16 points, while Jamie Phillips Jr. contributed 15. Wood finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, and Mehki Ellison rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11. As a team, Stetson shot 56 percent from the field and 61 percent from three-point range, adding 23 points from the free-throw line.
Stetson will next head to Kentucky to start off their road trip, where they will face Eastern Kentucky on Thursday, January 23, at 7:00 p.m. at the Alumni Coliseum.
