The Library Media — Sports · Sports Desk
Banks Leads The Citadel Past North Florida 77-74
By Piper Rampage
Photo: ~ Richmond 96 T • C 03:42, 9 March 2015 (UTC) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Marcus Banks scored a game-high and season-high 21 points to lead The Citadel to a 77-74 victory over North Florida at UNF Arena.
Banks scored 16 points in the second half, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and making 11 free throws. He added three assists and three steals.
Aaron Ekwere added 18 points, six rebounds and four steals for the Bulldogs. Tyler Mrus contributed nine points and six rebounds.
Mason Lee led North Florida with 14 points. JR Bartelus also scored 14 points, adding five rebounds and four steals. Elijah Elliott had 12 points and six rebounds, and Kent Jackson scored 12 points.
North Florida led 35-29 at halftime, but The Citadel outscored the Ospreys 48-39 in the second half. The Bulldogs had erased a 15-point first-half deficit and closed the first half on a nine-point run to stay within reach.
Banks scored nine straight points late in the game, and his jumper with 1:27 remaining gave The Citadel a 75-70 lead.
North Florida cut the deficit to 75-74 with 30 seconds left. Banks made a free throw with 18 seconds remaining, and North Florida missed a final 3-point attempt.
North Florida led for 30:57 of the game, but The Citadel completed the comeback for its third straight win and its first road win of the season.
The Citadel improved to 3-1, while North Florida fell to 1-3.
Piper Rampage
Men’s College Basketball, The Library Media
