Isaiah Thompson scored a game-high 25 points and
Keeshawn Kellman added a double-double but a big halftime deficit was too much for Florida Gulf Coast University to overcome as the Eagles fell to Hampton University 92-85 at the 2023 Virgin Islands Men's Basketball Paradise Jam on the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands.
The Eagles trailed 54-30 at the half as the Pirates connected on 10-of-15 shots from 3-point territory in the opening 20 minutes. As the clock ticked under eight minutes to go in regulation, the Eagles mounted a rally to slowly but surely chip away at the lead. FGCU would out-score Hampton 11-2 over the next four minutes of the contest, getting the lead down to 11, 78-67.
A Kellman bucket in the paint and a three-point play off a drive to the hoop by Thompson brought the Eagles within single digits with less than a minute to go in the contest. FGCU didn't stop fighting, as the Eagles chipped away to get the lead down to six at 88-82 after another Thompson three-point play. After free-throws by the Pirates,
Zach Anderson connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit down to five, but Hampton would make two more free-throws in the final seconds of the game to hang on four a win by seven points.
Kellman had his first double-double as an Eagle with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Anderson's 19 points matched his output from the season opener at Indiana.
Andre Weir helped to keep the Eagles in the contest in the first half, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the opening 20 minutes.
The Eagles will be idle Sunday before returning to the court for their last game of the tournament Monday at 1 p.m. EST against Norfolk State University.
