Men's Basketball wins 18th straight in defensive battle

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (January 14, 2023) — "This is conference play, not everything is going to be pretty," said head coach Rick Cabrera after Saturday's 69-61 win over Pensacola State. The Eagles moved to 19-1 on the season and improved their winning streak to 18 games. Now sitting at 2-0 in conference play, the Eagles find themselves in second place, a half-game behind #1 Chipola (21-0, 3-0) who have played one extra game. 

Pensacola State led 34-30 at the break. In the first half, the Pirates shot 7-14 from three-point range and out-rebounded TCC 15 to 8. It was the first time the Eagles have trailed at the break since December 10 against Indian River State at the Florida JUCO Shootout.

"We just needed to have a little more energy and effort," said Cabrera when asked about Pensacola State's first-half shooting. "I thought their threes were clean, I didn't think they were contested." The second-half adjustments worked as the Pirates shot just 3-11 from three after the break. 

It was the lowest scoring output for the Eagles since their 68-54 win over LSU Eunice on November 25th at the Chipola Thanksgiving Classic. TCC and Pensacola State have played many low-scoring contests in recent years, including a 40-39 Pensacola State win that came last season in the Eagledome. 

Okechukwu Okeke (F/C, Soph.) recorded his third double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and tallying 12 rebounds. Okeke scored the first seven points of the game for TCC and finished the game going 3-3 from beyond the arc. So far, those are his only successful three-point attempts of the season. Those three three-pointers in a game tie a career-high for Okeke, however, as he went 3-6 from deep in a game for Tyler Junior College last season. 

When asked what changed about his offensive mindset today, Okeke said, "Just having confidence, believing in myself, and knowing I can hit all of those shots." 

Addison Patterson (G, Soph.) led with 21 points, his ninth game scoring over 20 points this season. He also added four rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Ja'Quavian Florence (G, Soph.) scored 17 points, a point off his season high (18). The Eagles trailed 43-38 in the second half, before going on an 18-5 run that included a three-pointer and a huge dunk off a turnover from Florence. 

"That's my everyday dude," said Cabrera of Florence's recent performances. "He doesn't start for us, but he's a starter. He brings it, his emotion, his passion, I love it."

On Wednesday, January 18, the Eagles will head to Panama City to take on Gulf Coast State in the NJCAA ESPN+ Game of the Week. The game will tip off at 9:00 PM ET.