WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (December 29, 2022) – In the opening game of the SSAC/Sun Conference Challenge, the Webber International University men's basketball team took on Dalton State College on Thursday afternoon at Keiser University. It was a back-and-forth affair, but the Warriors took the lead late to pull off the narrow 61-60 victory.
 
The Warriors (7-4 overall) held the lead for just one minute and 43 seconds of the game, but most importantly, held the lead when the final buzzer sounded. Webber shot 36.5 percent from the field compared to the 45.3 percent of Dalton State (7-6). However, the Warriors outrebounded the Roadrunners 37-33 in total and 19-12 on the offensive boards.
 
The Roadrunners took an early 9-5 lead after the first four minutes of action, but a three-pointer from Orri Hilmarsson pulled the Warriors back within one. Two successful free throws by Eddie Davis on the following possession earned Webber its first lead of the game. Dalton State responded, however, with a 10-2 run over the next five or so minutes to take a 19-12 lead with eight minutes remaining.
 
Later, a three from Tiyon Martin ended the run and cut the deficit to four. The Warriors continued to trail by four with five minutes left in the half at 21-17. Another Hilmarsson-three followed by back-to-back layups from Davis and Jordan Golden knotted the game up at 24 with three minutes left. An 8-4 run by the Roadrunners to end the half awarded them a four-point lead at the break.
 
The second half began slowly for both teams offensively as there was just one point scored in the first two minutes. Dalton State began to find its rhythm on offense as it went on a 10-7 run to earn the largest lead of the game at eight points. Trailing by five at 45-40, Hilmarrson nailed yet another three to reduce the deficit to just two with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game.
 
A corner-three by Jyshaun Melvin cut the lead even further to just one with nine minutes left. Webber took the lead roughly a minute later after a layup from Davis at 48-47. An 8-4 run by Dalton State over the next two minutes saw it regain the lead at 55-52. Trailing 57-52, the Warriors then scored twice in 40 seconds, first a three by Melvin followed by a layup from Martin to tie the game up with 1:38 to go.
 
After a stop on the defensive end, Loro Natana sank a mid-range jumper to give Webber the lead at 59-57 with 31 seconds left. Following a missed three by the Roadrunners, they would be forced to foul as the Warriors hung on for the 61-60 victory.
 
The Warriors will be back in action for game two of the SSAC/Sun Conference Challenge tomorrow, December 30th, at 2:15 p.m. as they battle the Crusaders of William Carey University.