MELBOURNE, Fla. - In front of a raucous crowd, Florida Tech women's basketball opener their home portion of its schedule against New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The Panthers could not overcome a slow first half as they fell 67-59.
Gracie Doane (15) and
Amanda Allen (11) were the only Panthers to eclipse double-digit points. Senior,
Tereza Sedlakova was a force on the glass as she had a game-high 10 rebounds. Iceland native, Gadlaug Juliusdottir impressive the crowd with her passing ability as she tallied five assists.
The first 10 minutes of action was a defensive battle as both teams smothered the ball and took advantage of mistakes made by each offense. This led to an 11-7 advantage for NYIT at the buzzer.
The second quarter was a tough one for the Panthers as the basket seemed to have a lid on it. The women had many open shots but none seemed to fall while their opponent could not seem to mistake even with a hand in their face.
In the end, Florida Tech had a -11 points differential in the period and a 33-18 deficit as they went to the locker rooms.
The third quarter was much like the first for the opening three minutes as only five points, all by Florida Tech's
Amanda Allen, were put on the board. But that did not last as the floodgates were open for both squads as they combined for 27 points in the last seven minutes.
The Crimson and Gray trailed 50-33 with only 10 minutes of regulation left. However, this lit a fire in the team as they went on an impressive 24-10 run over the first nine minutes of play. This put the game at 60-56 and well within reach as they held all the momentum.
But clutch free throw shooting by the Bears helped distance themselves from Florida Tech in the final minute. The game ended with the Panthers losing 67-59.
Florida Tech will look to get back in the win column tomorrow at noon ET. The team will face off against the Flagler Saints in the third game of the Florida Tech Classic.
For the latest news, updates and information on the Florida Tech women's basketball team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
