The Florida Tech women’s basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak in convincing fashion Wednesday night, taking down the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish 77-50 in a Sunshine State Conference contest.
Florida Tech (9-11, 5-7 SSC) had four players in double figures, led by November Morton’s 22 points. Amanda Allen scored 16, including her first three of the game with 7:47 to go in the second quarter. That was significant, as it was her 100th career three as a member of the Panthers. She is the 11th Florida Tech player to accomplish the feat.
Morton and Allen had eight rebounds each to lead the squad, and Fanny Hakanson had 11 points, to go with 10 from Gudlaug Juliusdottir to round out the top scorers.
Florida Tech did not shoot particularly well in the first half, going 11-for-35 overall (31.4 percent) and 4-for-17 (23.5 percent) from three-point range. They picked that up in the second half, shooting 47.6 percent in the third, and an even 50 percent in the fourth quarter.
Things were even for much of the first quarter as the teams were tied four times before the Panthers went on a 6-0 run in the final 2:13 to lead 18-12 before the Sailfish scored in the final 10 seconds to make it an 18-14 game.
PBA (3-16, 1-11 SSC) hit two three-pointers to start the second quarter, taking the lead 20-18. Allen’s milestone three gave the Panthers a 21-20 lead. Allen would lay it in to break a 26-26 tie with 5:30 to go, and Hakanson hit a three with 4:45 to go, giving the Panthers a 31-26 lead. After a PBA hoop, Cheyenne Scott made two free throws and it was 33-28. From there the teams went cold, as the Sailfish did not score in the final 4:37 and the Panthers didn’t get a bucket for the final 3:06.
The Panthers came out of the locker room with back-to-back threes from Severine Uggen and Hakanson to make it 39-28. A 6-0 run late in the quarter gave Florida Tech a 51-36 lead. The Panthers defense did a great job as well, as the Sailfish were 1-for-8 in the latter stages of the quarter.
When all was said and done in the third, Florida Tech outscored the hosts 25-12 and led 58-40 heading into the final stanza.
A 9-0 run for the Panthers that spanned 3:03 gave the Panthers a commanding 70-45 lead with 4:15 to go. They would get a three by Jaida Hall with 1:48 to go, giving them the 75 points.
For more info: Florida Tech @ PBA Box Score
The Panthers will look for another victory Saturday, as they travel to Lynn University. The game tips off at 2:00 p.m. in Boca Raton.