Panthers Prevail Against Scrappy UPR-Rio Piedras, 68-36

Briauna Hagins scored a team-high 14 points Wednesday against UPR-Rio Piedras. Photo by Richard Flutie.

MELBOURNE, Fla. (Women’s Basketball) –  For the second game in a row, Florida Tech used a strong second half to pull away from its opposition as the Panthers defeated the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 68-36 Wednesday evening in the Clemente Center. 

Tech (2-0) tallied 40 of its points in the final half, while it held the Gamecocks (0-1) to just 17 on 7-for-24 shooting.  Three Panthers registered double figures in points.  Briauna Hagins led the team with 14, followed by Bionca Harness and Kristen Dixon, who both accumulated 10 on the evening. 

At times, Rio Piedras’ defense appeared to give Tech some trouble.  They held the Panthers to 12-for-35 shooting from the field in the first half, however, that would increase in the second half as the team went 16-for-33 from the field.

“Sometimes you win and it’s ugly,” Tech head coach John Reynolds said.  “But, it’s better to win ugly than to lose ugly.  We picked up the win, however, we need to work on several things.  I was hoping to see us make some strides tonight, but it didn’t happen.”

Within the first five minutes of the game, Tech built a 10-2 advantage.  Following consecutive field goals by Kaylin Jaichon, the Panthers built a 21-6 lead with over nine minutes to play in the opening half.  Even though the Gamecocks were down 15 points, they showed some spark in the final minutes of the opening half. 

A layup by Amanda Nunez and then two free throws by the guard cut the Gamecocks’ deficit to nine with less than a minute to play.  Laura Brunet extended Tech’s lead to 11 after the sophomore hit two free throws with seconds remaining.

Back-to-back baskets by Hagins within the first four minutes of the second half extended the Panthers’ lead to 34-23 with 16:16 to play in the contest.  In the following nine minutes, the Panthers went on a 19-10 run and had a 20-point lead.  In that span, Emi McCullough nailed two three-pointers and Lindsay Greene used her muscle to drive her defender down to the basket for two easy jump shots.

From that point to the final whistle, Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras added just three points to its final total.  Harness capped the night for the Panthers with a layup in the final minute.

Both Dixon and Jaichon pulled down nine rebounds on the night.  Jaichon led the team with three blocks, and Dixon and Hagins recorded three steals each.

Tech will now travel to Jacksonville for a Division I battle with the Dolphins Friday at 7 p.m. in Swisher Gymnasium.    

* All photos provided by Richard Flutie: http://RichardFlutiePhotography.Photostockplus.com