Babson Park, FL – The Webber International Men's Basketball came up just short in a high-scoring overtime thriller on Tuesday night, falling 98–96 to Florida College in a non-conference matchup at home. The Warriors and Falcons traded runs all evening in a game that featured six ties and six lead changes before the visitors did just enough in the extra period to escape Babson Park with the two-point win.
Florida College led 41–37 at the half behind hot perimeter shooting, knocking down six threes in the opening 20 minutes. Webber answered with balance on the offensive end, getting early buckets from Jashawnn Bates and Landon Tillman while Johnny Torrence Jr. pushed the tempo and Nirobi Peeler Jr. found his stroke from beyond the arc. The Warriors built an eight-point advantage in the first half before the Falcons closed on a run to seize the four-point edge at the break.
Webber responded with 49 second-half points, surging in front behind paint touches and timely threes from Peeler and Deon Brown as the game evolved into a back-and-forth shootout. Torrence repeatedly got downhill for finishes and kick-outs, while Thomas Morgan was nearly automatic around the rim. The Warriors outscored Florida College 49–45 in the second half to send the game to overtime at 86–86, but the Falcons continued to hit from deep in the extra session and converted just enough free throws to edge Webber 12–10 in the final five minutes.
Torrence Jr. paced Webber with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Peeler Jr. added 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting with four made threes and four boards. Tillman stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Bates chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Morgan provided a huge lift inside with 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Brown rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points, all from beyond the arc. As a team, the Warriors shot 49.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three (12-of-28) and held a 40–30 edge on the glass, but Florida College countered with 14 made threes at a 51.9-percent clip and turned 13 Webber turnovers into 11 points to hand the Warriors a narrow overtime loss.
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