WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Keiser (Fla.), which is receiving votes in the latest top 25 poll, held off a furious second-half rally by Thomas to earn an 87-82 win in Thursday's Sun Conference (TSC) opener inside the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center.

Despite limiting Trystan Pratapas, Keiser's (3-0, 1-0 TSC) leading scorer (20.5 ppg) entering Thursday, to just four points on 1-of-4 shooting, Thomas (3-3, 0-1 TSC) was down 17 with 9:21 to play.

"I told our guys at that point someone had to step up and start making plays," Night Hawk coach Brent Crews said. "Unfortunately we dug ourselves in too deep a hole, and in this league, you can't do that, especially against a very good team like Keiser."

Answering the bell from Crews' squad were Javoris Cooks and Johnnel Ginnie, who combined to score 18 of Thomas' final 24 points. The Night Hawks canned three-straight 3s in 1:21, as a Jerodd Blount trey brought the Green and White within one possession, 85-82, with 15 seconds on the clock. However, after the Night Hawks deflected the ensuing inbounds pass but failed to come up with a steal, Keiser's Andrija Sarenac caught the following inbounds pass, tiptoed the sideline and converted a layup in transition to push the difference back to two possessions. 

The Seahawks, who trailed only the first 34 seconds Thursday, scored eight-straight points, all by Micah Goss, to lead by six 2:27 into the contest. DeSean Miller made a bucket from distance to make the score 33-24 in favor of the home team at the 7:14 mark of the first half, but Thomas countered. D.J. Roulhac scored five-straight Night Hawk points followed by four-straight by Ginnie, as his layup with 3:46 before halftime trimmed the margin to just three at 35-32.

Keiser led 39-33 at the break on the strength of 55.6 percent 15-of-27) shooting, including six made 3-pointers.

Goss scored 13-straight Seahawk points at one point in the second half, giving his team a 54-42 edge with 13:44 to play. A Sarenac 3 pushed the margin to 72-55 4:23 later before Thomas mounted its charge. 

Goss tallied 20 of his game-high 28 points in the final 20 minutes to lead four Keiser players in double figures. He finished 10-of-12 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from distance. Dion McClenton posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, going 9-of-12 from the field. Sarenac and Marko Orlic each shot 5-of-8 overall. Sarenac netted 13 points and was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc to go along with eight assists, while Orlic had 12 points off the bench. Andrija Matic pulled down eight boards.

Cooks scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half, going 6-of-12 overall in the frame and 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Ginnie poured in 10 of his 18 points after halftime, shooting 7-of-14 from the floor overall and 4-of-5 after the break. Ginnie and Jakari Bush each hauled in eight rebounds. Roulhac ended with 13 points, while Willie Holloway came up with eight. Cooks and Roulhac dished out four assists apiece. 

The Seahawks shot 61.8 percent (34-of-55) overall, including 67.9 percent (19-of-28) in the final 20 minutes. Keiser was 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from 3-point land and 6-of-14 in each half. The home team totaled 20 assists on 34 made baskets.

The Night Hawks shot 38.4 percent (28-of-73) overall and 36 percent (9-of-25) from deep. Thomas made more free throws (17; 17-of-29) than Keiser attempted (12; 7-of-12). Crews' team turned 18 Seahawk turnovers into 19 points while committing only six. Thomas enjoyed a 15-2 advantage on the offensive glass, with five coming from Ginnie, leading to 13 second chance points.

The Night Hawks continue league play Saturday looking for their first road win this season at Johnson & Wales (Fla.). Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET.