Eastern Florida’s men’s basketball home court winning streak is over. (EFSC Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida’s men’s basketball home court winning streak is over.
Harcum College sophomore Anthony Wright sank a three-point basket with 1.2 seconds to play to give the visitors an 87-86 victory on Saturday at the Titan Field House.
The loss on the Melbourne Campus ended a 53-game Titans winning streak that began in February 2012.
The loss dropped Eastern Florida to 12-3. Harcum improved to 15-1.
“It’s going to be a learning experience for us,” said Eastern Florida head coach Jeremy Shulman. “They made a shot that they’re going to make one in 100. The kid hadn’t hit a three all game and hits a tough, pump-fake three.
“That’s what happens when you leave it with their basketball with a two-point game and you allow a chance to happen. If we corral the rebound then we’re winning this basketball game.
“We didn’t do the little things. We preach with our guys all year about the process and we haven’t been a very good process team so far this year. It’s been about made and missed shots and today was about made and missed shots,” said Shulman.
Titans freshman guard Jon Martin made a three-point shot from deep in the left corner with 15.9 seconds to play – and was fouled in the process – to give Eastern Florida an 86-84 lead.
But Martin missed the subsequent free throw, one of five Titan misses down the stretch. Harcum rebounded and Wright eventually sank the game-winner.
Harcum led 81-77 with 3:30 to play but Eastern Florida rallied to take an 83-81 lead thanks to a remarkable effort by freshman C.J. Jackson. Jackson blocked a Harcum shot, grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 1:27 to play.
He sank both free throws, his fifth and sixth in the final 2:26.
But Harcum rallied on a free throw and then a two-point basket with 36.8 seconds to play for an 84-83 lead. That set up the dramatic final moments that saw the winning streak end.
Jeremy Shulman
“When you play a schedule like we do . . . it’s a testament honestly to the 53 that we had and the guys who are on the floor this year and the guys before,” Shulman said.
“That aggressive of a schedule you might have a crazy buzzer-beating three to beat you at some point. To me it makes the streak that much more amazing. If anything else we can play home games without worrying about any streak. We can move forward and just focus on winning basketball games and doing that possession by possession.”
Freshman and leading scorer Kareem Brewton paced the Titans with 19 points, 15 in the first half. Martin had 16, sophomore B.J. Gladden 15 and Jackson 14.
The men now transition to Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference play, opening defense of their third straight championship at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Palm Beach State in Lake Worth.
Eastern Florida opens its home conference schedule hosting Broward College at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9. The game will be televised live on WEFS-TV and streamed live at www.efsctitans.com.
Admission is free.
Harcum, of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, plays Palm Beach State at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Titan Field House. Admission is free.
