Bradenton, FL. – The Webber International Men's Basketball team knocked down 11 three-pointers and closed the door at the free-throw line late to earn an 80-74 SUN Conference road win over New College of Florida on Wednesday night at SCF-Bradenton.
New College jumped out to an early 8-0 advantage, but Webber settled in and answered with a strong first-half push—highlighted by a 9-0 run capped by a pair of Landon Tillman free throws—to build its largest lead of the night (31-20) with 4:20 left in the half. The hosts trimmed the margin, but the Warriors carried a 33-29 lead into the break.
The game stayed tight early in the second half before Webber swung the momentum with a decisive stretch. After New College briefly went in front (40-38), the Warriors responded with a 16-6 surge over the next five minutes to grab an eight-point cushion (54-46) with 11:10 remaining. New College made one last push late—cutting it to 70-69 with 2:18 to play—but Webber came right back with a Jashawnn Bates three and a string of Tillman free throws to secure the win.
Tillman led all scorers with 25 points to go with five rebounds and four assists, going 12-for-15 at the line. Deon Brown added 17 points, knocking down four triples, while Thomas Morgan finished with 11 points. Bates was a force on the glass with nine rebounds and hit the key late three, and Iverson Plaza dished out four assists. Webber shot 48.2% from the field (27-for-56) and 45.8% from three (11-for-24), while holding New College to 5-for-22 from deep.
After the game, Head Coach Gabriel Rutledge acknowledged the difficulty of SUN Conference road games and how his team responded to their opponents.
"Winning on the road in this league is never easy. I'm proud of our guys for staying together, defending at a high level, and making winning plays when it mattered most. New College of Florida has been playing at a very high level offensively, and we knew we would have to be locked in on the defensive end. It was a tough environment, but our guys showed real toughness tonight. We trusted each other, stayed disciplined, and found a way to get it done. Go Warriors!"
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