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Florida Tech Upsets FSC in SSC Tilt

The Florida Tech Panthers got a huge conference road win on Saturday, taking down the Florida Southern Moccasins 73-70. It was the third road win in a row for the Panthers, who are now 6-3 away from the Clemente Center. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Florida Southern.

The Panthers (11-12, 7-8 SSC) were led by Severine Uggen who had 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting, all from downtown. She also had five rebounds. Amanda Allen scored 20 points and five rebounds, while Gudlaug Juliusdottir and Fanny Paulin had 12, and 11 points respectively. Paulin was 3-for-6 from three-point range. Fanny Hakanson had nine rebounds and nine assists to lead the Panthers. She chipped in with six points.

Florida Southern (14-9, 11-4 SSC) got a career-high 22 points from Bekki Kalaydjiev, and Julia Jenike had a double-double, with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Florida Tech started on a 6-0 run, but two hoops from FSC made it 6-4 before the Panthers reeled off eight of the next 10 points, giving them a 14-6 lead after Uggen’s second three of the game with five minutes left in the first quarter. Florida Southern’s back-to-back hoops made it 14-10.

Makyla Daniels scored three straight points for the Panthers, and Paulin followed with another three to make it 20-10. The Panthers would end the quarter with a 22-12 lead.

After FSC scored to start the second quarter, the Panthers went on a 7-0 run, ending on a three by Paulin, making it 29-14. Uggen and Paulin would hit threes on back-to-back possessions, and just like that, it was 35-18 with 6:00 left.

Uggen would hit a three to make it 42-23. That was immediately answered by the Mocs’. The Panthers were 15-for-30 from the floor in the first half, including 7-for-14 from three-point range in the second half. Even though they did not score in the final 3:04, Florida Tech went to the locker room with a 42-28 lead.

The struggles at the end of the first half continued in the third quarter. The Panthers made just five shots, four of those from long distance. Florida Southern took advantage, scoring the first five points and cutting the Panthers lead to 42-33.

The Panthers would answer getting five back, including a three by Allen. FSC did not back down answering with an 11-0 run, that included three consecutive triples. Suddenly, with 5:07 to go, it was a 47-44 lead for the Panthers.

Allen and Hakanson got the Panthers back on track with back-to-back threes and the Panthers were back up nine, 53-44 with 3:24 left in the quarter. Uggen’s three with 59 seconds left made it 58-53, but the Mocs’ would close the gap to 58-57 as the quarter ended.

The fourth quarter was close early, as Allen hit another three to make it 63-59 with 7:06 left. Paulin made it 67-64 with 5:35 left, but Florida Southern tied the game at 67 and eventually went ahead on a three by Marta Aranda, who made it 70-67 with 4:18 left.

The Panthers pushed through with a hoop from Juliusdottir and a three by Uggen, giving the Panthers a 72-70 lead. Fanny Hakanson hit a free-throw in the final seconds to seal the win.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Florida Southern Box Score

The Panthers will be in St. Petersburg on Wednesday night to challenge the Eckerd Tritons. Eckerd is 15-5, including 11-3 in the conference. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.