Moccasins turn back Hounds

Staff report

LAKELAND, Fla. — Senior guard Dylan Travis scored 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds Thursday night, leading defending NCAA Division II men’s national champion Florida Southern past Eastern New Mexico University 100-90.

Travis, averaging 24 ppg, went 7-for-13 from the field and 17-for-19 from the foul line for the Moccasins (5-6), who played 2015 Division I champion Duke in a preseason exhibition and lost to the Blue Devils 112-68. Florida Southern also ventured to Syracuse for an exhibition, losing 96-44.

Senior guard Dominique Williams added 20 points, while junior guard Sheldon Zablotny came off the bench for 17 and junior guard Michael Volovic chipped in 10 as Florida Southern snapped a four-game losing streak.

Five players scored in double figures for the Hounds (3-6), who were playing without senior guard John Gilliam due to injury. Gilliam, who last played on Dec. 2 at Texas A&M International, missed his second game in a row but is on the trip and could play in a four-team get-together this weekend hosted by Tampa University.

Sophomore guard Javaan Mumtaz led the Hounds with 19 points, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, while senior forward Lawrence Domingo (14 points, 10 rebounds) and reserve sophomore guard Ladarius Stewart (11 and 10) posted double-doubles.

Junior guard Javandon Staves tallied 15 points off the bench, while freshman guard Brady Patterson had 10.

The Mocs hit 5-of-7 from distance to build an early 15-7 lead, but they missed their next nine shots overall as ENMU climbed back into it. The Hounds posted a 30-21 edge on the boards in the half, but trailed 41-35 at the intermission after committing 14 turnovers to three for Florida Southern and getting outscored 14-3 in points off turnovers.

ENMU warmed up in the second half, hitting 8-of-12 from 3-point range and 17-of-30 from the floor overall. The Hounds tied it on a 3-pointer by Kevin Saiz with 16:25 left, and eventually took several small leads, the last of which was 80-78 on two free throws by Staves with 4:31 to go.

Two free throws by Travis six seconds later tied it, and Trey Moore’s 3-pointer on the next trip put the Mocs in front for good as they ended the game on a 22-10 run.

The Mocs committed just eight turnovers to 23 for ENMU, negating the Hounds’ 15-of-30 showing from 3-point range. Florida Southern also went 25-for-29 from the foul line, including 24-of-27 in the second half.

ENMU faces Eckerd at noon (MST) on Saturday at Tampa, then plays the host school at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The Hounds’ next outing after that will be in their Dec. 31 home opener against Wayland Baptist.