BABSON PARK, Fla. (December 8, 2022) – The Webber International University men's basketball team took on the University of Fort Lauderdale in a non-conference matchup on Thursday night inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center. The Warriors came back to force overtime but came up just short in a competitive 82-78 defeat.
 
Despite outrebounding the Eagles (2-7 overall), 43-35, the Warriors (4-3) were plagued by turnovers and uncharacteristically shot just 26.9 percent from deep. Fort Lauderdale drew strength from its depth as they tallied 44 points off the bench.
 
The Warriors started well as they developed a seven-point lead at 13-6 through the first six and a half minutes. They were led by K'Shun Stokes who tallied 11 first-half points. Leading 19-12 with just under 11 minutes left in the half, Webber then conceded a 10-2 run over the next three minutes that was capped by back to back threes by the Eagles to earn them their first lead at 22-21.
 
Two free throws extended the lead to three before Stokes responded with a bucket from range to level the game at 24. A 7-3 run from the Warriors over the final four minutes saw them hold a four-point lead heading into the break.
 
The Eagles began the second half with relentless pressure, forcing Webber into turnovers on back to back possessions as they went on a 9-0 run in the first two minutes and 15 seconds. With a five-point lead, UFTL began slowly building on it as the Warriors struggled to gain traction offensively. The Eagles built up a 13-point lead and were able to sustain it up to the final 10 minutes.
 
Trailing by nine with six and a half minutes remaining in the game, a three-pointer by Orri Hilmarsson kick-started a 7-0 run that brought the Warriors within two at 62-60. Down 74-71 with 12 seconds left, Loro Natana collected an offensive rebound off of a missed three and would be fouled with 0.4 seconds on the clock. Natana converted the first free throw attempt, making it a two-point game. He then intentionally missed the second, as Chinecherem Anukaenyi leapt to the offensive board and tipped it in to force overtime.
 
UFTL began overtime on a 4-0 run and extended their lead to 81-76 with just over two minutes left as the Warriors were unable to respond. Two free throws from Natana pulled Webber within three but that is as close as they would come as the Eagles defended well to seal the game.
 
The Warriors were led by Stokes with a season-high 33 points, 20 of which came in the second half, as he shot 59 percent from the field and 100 percent from the free throw line. He added five rebounds and a team-high three steals on the night. He was followed by Anukaenyi who finished just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Defensively, Anukaenyi tallied three blocks, tying his season-high. Eddie Davis led the team in assists for the second game in a row with seven and added 10 points as well as four rebounds. Hilmarsson added eight points and two steals in total.
 
Webber now has a one-day break before they head to Deland, Florida to take on Division-I Stetson University in an exhibition game on Saturday, December 10 at 2 p.m. The Warriors will then return home to host Fontbonne University on Friday, December 16 at 5 p.m.