Eagles fall in another nail biter to Pensacola State

PENSACOLA, Fla. (January 25, 2014) – FCSAA No. 8 Pensacola State College rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half and defeated No. 9 Tallahassee Community College, 60-57, on Saturday evening in Panhandle Conference men's basketball action. 

Tallahassee (12-10) lost for the fifth time in six PC games, all by eight points or less. Two of those have come at the hands of Pensacola State, who dropped the Eagles in overtime, 68-64, in Tallahassee earlier this month. 

On Tuesday, Tallahassee allowed 58 second-half points in an 87-84 loss to Northwest Florida State College. Tonight, the Eagles watched Pensacola State knock down 12-of-22 shots in the second half to erase a three-point halftime deficit. 

Tallahassee led 27-24 at the intermission and increased its advantage to 11 with 13:22 left in the game, primarily behind the hot hand of freshman guard Dirk Williams, who hit 6-of-9 from long distance and had 24 points at that point. Williams, however, was held scoreless the rest of the way, and the Pirates gradually chipped away at the Eagles' lead. 

With three minutes left in the game, Tallahassee's lead was down to two and with 44 seconds left, Pensacola State's KeKe Williamson knocked down a free throw to give the Pirates a 58-57 lead. 

Pensacola State (15-9, 3-3 PC) sealed the win by forcing a turnover with 14 seconds left. 

In addition to Williams, Cameron Naylor scored 12 points and Marlon Johnson, 10. 

The Eagles now face an almost certain must-win situation against Gulf Coast State College on Tuesday when the Commodores visit the Bill Hebrock Eagledome for a 7:30 p.m. meeting. 

Halfway through its PC schedule, Tallahassee sits at 1-5 and is three games back in the loss column of a trio of two-loss teams – Gulf Coast State, Chipola College and Northwest Florida State. 

Gulf Coast State knocked off conference leader Chipola, 75-70, on Saturday. 

Tuesday's game will be carried by Panhandle Sports Broadcasting at www.PSBlive.com.