WINTER PARK, Fla. - Opening the annual Tars Thanksgiving Classic, No.20 Caldwell (5-0) took a last minute run to put Florida Tech (0-3) at distance, 74-68 at Warden Arena on Thursday afternoon.

Leading for FIT, senior Kailyn Ebb paved the way for the Panthers with 13 points and a team-best nine rebounds, including a 4-7 shooting effort from the floor.

Sophomore Amanda Allen registered 11 points, followed by junior Tereza Sedlakova with nine. Senior DeLise Williams put up five points and tallied a team-best five assists. Adding to the FIT total, junior Abby White posted a team-high three steals, to go with five points and one assist.

As a team, Florida shot 38.5 percent (25-65) from the floor, while Caldwell notched a 50 shooting percentage (24-48). The Crimson and Gray outrebounded the Cougars, 40-35 and posted 10 steals to Caldwell's nine. 

Florida Tech maintained a slim advantage until the 5:36 mark of the first quarter, when a Cougars jumper pushed Caldwell ahead, 9-8. After Tanease Richardson closed the gap 9-11 on a free throw, the sophomore managed to fire off a jumper 50 seconds after to erase the deficit and tie the score at 11. From there, FIT jumped on a five-point run to close the first period, 21-16.

In the second stanza, the Panthers kept cruising past the Cougars, until a layup by Caldwell tied the game at the 4:49 mark, 27-27. After two more lead changes, Caldwell drained three points and pushed ahead 32-29. With 1:25 minutes left to play, Richardson found the paint once again and decreased the Cougars lead, making it a one-point game at the half, 32-31.

Florida Tech continued to stay on pace with Caldwell in the third, as back-to-back baskets from Ebb cut the Panthers deficit by four. At the 2:23 mark, Ebb knocked down another basket to bring the score 42-40, but the Cougars held onto their two-point stretch to head into the final quarter with a 48-46 advantage.

In the last period, two Panther baskets put FIT ahead by one (54-53), before a layup delivered by Aniquah Swan furthered the FIT lead, 55-54. However, the Cougars quickly tied the score and went on a six-point run to seal the game, 74-68.

Up next on the slate, Florida Tech will face the Talladega Tornadoes tomorrow to conclude the Tars Thanksgiving Classic. Tip-off inside Warden Arena is set for 12 p.m. ET.

For live coverage of the event, please access FloridaTechSports.com.