Men's basketball team defeats Miami Dade Saturday at home

The Eastern Florida State College men's basketball team picked up its 12th conference win of the season Saturday, defeating Miami Dade College at Titan Field House.

The Titans, who are ranked No. 16 in the latest NJCAA Division I poll, led from the start, beating the Sharks 81-65 to improve to 12-2 in the Citrus Conference and 24-4 overall.

Emondrek Erkins-Ford made just his second start of the season and got the Titans off to a fast start, scoring four of the first nine points as the Titans led from the opening tip. The lead would reach 16 points as Matija Zuzic and Andrija Bukumirovic hit 3-pointers. But Miami Dade would go on a 10-0 run and would cut the lead to three, 33-30 with four minutes left in the half. Erkins-Ford hit a 3-pointer and the Titans would score seven of the last 12 points and head to halftime leading 45-38.

The lead would once again get to as low as three but Zuzic hit another 3-pointer and then scored a basket as part of a key 7-0 run that would send the lead back to double digits.

Zuzic finished the game with five 3-pointers and had 21 points while Erkins-Ford had a season-high 17 points and Owen Aquino finished with his second straight and ninth double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Bukumirovic finished with 10 points in the win.

Miami Dade was led by John Latimer's 19 points while Esteban Lluberes finished with 17.

Eastern Florida State College will be back at Titan Field House Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. against Hillsborough Community College. Admission is free to games at Titan Field House.