MELBOURNE – Women's basketball opened its Sunshine State Conference home slate with a game against Palm Beach Atlantic. The red-hot Panthers did not grab victory until the final minute as they beat the Sailfish, 64-60.
Aniquah Swan was the main driver of Tech's success as she tallied a double-double with a team-high 19 points and career-high 14 rebounds.
Fanny Hakanson continued her role as the team's lead distributor as she had game-high seven assists.
The game started with a 7-0 by the Crimson & Gray but PBA quickly matched that with a 7-0 run of their own. The rest of the quarter saw the two teams trade baskets back-and-forth and at the buzzer, the result was a 17-18 Panthers deficit.
However, this deficit did not last as the women stormed out to a 30-21 lead as they opened the second period on a 13-3 run over the first 5:44. The Sailfish then sank a three as they tried to end the run but the Panthers went on another 7-0 run before Palm Beach Atlantic made two straight buckets to end the quarter. At the half, the score was 37-28 in favor of Tech.
A shift in momentum was evident as the second half opened with a 9-0 Sailfish run that brought the score even at 37-37. The game found itself tied again a little while later at 39-39 before a short Florida Tech run gave them some breathing room for the rest of the period.
Armed with a 49-46 lead going into the final quarter, the Panthers kept a calm head despite pressure from PBA throughout the 10 minutes. The Crimson & Gray extended its lead to seven with 8:23 left on the clock. However, that cushion did not last as Palm Beach Atlantic went on a 10-point run, which gave them their first lead since the beginning of the second quarter. A
Severine Uggen trey ball tied its back up at 56-56.
The teams traded the lead for the next few minutes before the Panthers gained the lead for good off a Hakanson layup with 44 seconds left. Tech sank three free throws in the final seconds, which made the final score 64-60.
Florida Tech has its sights set on its third straight win when they welcome Lynn to the Clemente Center Saturday, Dec. 7. Tipoff will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET.
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.
