NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team secured a 97-88 victory over Trevecca Nazarene at Trojan Fieldhouse on Saturday night. 

Tyler Burton led the team with a career-high 28 points, including seven 3-pointers, and added seven rebounds. Preston Le Gassick scored 16 points and dished out six assists, while contributing three 3-pointers. Christian Kirkland was perfect from the field, scoring 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting and recording two blocks. Graham Worland posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, also adding five assists. Alvin Tumblin Jr. added nine points and four boards. 

PBA started the game by scoring early, with Kirkland converting a jumper in the paint at 19:23. The team maintained offensive pressure with Tumblin adding a layupto extend the lead. Despite turnovers, the 'Fish capitalized on offensive rebounds, aiding in their scoring efforts.

Le Gassick contributed with a 3-pointer at 14:51, followed by another at 11:01, maintaining a narrow lead despite the Trojans' attempts to close the gap. The 'Fish's defense was solid, limiting the opponent's second-chance points and leveraging their own fast-break opportunities.

In the latter part of the half, Burton's three-pointer at 6:18 and Kirkland's dunk at 4:10 helped extend the lead. The 'Fish closed the half strongly, with a 3-pointer by Burton and a dunk by Clay Payne in the final minute, resulting in a 48-38 lead at the end of the first half. The Sailfish defense held TNU to 35 percent from the field in the first half. 

PBA began the second half by extending its lead with impactful plays on both ends. Tumblin initiated momentum with a fast-break dunk, assisted by Worland, at the 19:35 mark. Burton added to the pressure with consecutive three-pointers, contributing to an early offensive surge. 

Midway through the half, the 'Fish maintained their advantage through efficient shooting and solid defense. Worland's effective scoring and playmaking, including a crucial three-pointer at 13:31, gave PBA a 70-54 advantage. Defensive efforts, including blocks by Jakob Hester and Blake Wilson, helped limit the Trojans' scoring opportunities.

The hosts crawled their way back after getting hot from beyond the arc. The Trojan's made seven threes in the second half, shooting 50 percent from deep. PBA's lead was cut to five with 9:36 to play. The Sailfish remained composed and built the lead back up to double-digits, getting contribution from Wilson and Payne in their Sailfish debuts.

In the closing minutes, the 'Fish solidified their win with decisive plays, taking care of the basketball. Free throws down the stretch by Le Gassick and a big dunk from Kirkland helped put the game out of reach. The half ended with Palm Beach Atlantic securing a 97–88 victory.

The Sailfish dominated the rebounding battle, 50-28. PBA grabbed 19 offensive rebounds leading to 22 second-chance points. TNU tried to make up for the rebounding deficit by forcing turnovers. The Sailfish totaled 18 turnovers leading to 30 points for the Trojans. Overall PBA outshot TNU 48 percent to 42 percent. Burton's seven 3-pointers were two shy of PBA's DII-era single game record.

The 'Fish are back in action on Sunday against Morehouse. The game in Nashville is set for 3 p.m.