DELAND, FL -- Josh Massey reaches 1000 career points mileston as Stetson men's basketball team took down the Central Arkansas Bears 75-65 at home Thursday.
"I'm really happy with the start we got out to as a team tonight," said Head Coach Donnie Jones. "It's always tough to finish strong in conference play, and we know we have to be better down the stretch. That said, I'm proud of the effort and happy to come away with the win."
The Hatters came out firing, racing to a 19-3 lead early with Ellison and Jordan Wood each hitting two three-pointers. Central Arkansas responded, cutting the lead to 11, but Wood and Finley Sheridan quickly drained back-to-back threes, extending the advantage to 29-12. Stetson continued to build momentum, and a buzzer-beating layup by Jamie Phillips Jr. gave the Hatters a commanding 43-21 lead at halftime. Stetson's defense stifled the Bears, holding them to their second-lowest scoring half of the season, while the Hatters connected on 9-of-18 from beyond the arc.
In the second half, Stetson maintained control. Josh Massey pushed the lead back to 20 with a layup that marked his 1,000th career point. The Hatters kept the Bears at arm's length until late in the game, when Central Arkansas mounted a late rally, cutting the deficit to just five points with a minute and a half remaining. However, Stetson held off the challenge and finished strong for a 75-65 win.
"We have a lot of shooters," said Mehki Ellison. "Having [Jamie Phillips Jr] back to do the little things, get rebounds, it helps us move the ball and make shots. We all can shoot, and space the floor so it's good when we are hitting."
Ellison led all scorers with 19 points, followed by Wood with 16 and Massey with 15. Phillips Jr. had a solid all-around performance, contributing eight points, six rebounds, and three steals. As a team, Stetson shot 52% from the field, 42.3% from three-point range, and 75% from the free-throw line. Overall, the Hatters shot 52 percent from the field, 42.3 percent from three and 75 percent from the free throw line. The Stetson defense created 11 turnovers and turned that into 13 points while also tallying five blocks.
The Hatters will return to the Edmunds Center on Saturday, January 11 to take on North Alabama at 4:00pm.
