MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Tech men's basketball team officially opened the 2023-24 season at home on Friday night at the Clemente Center with the Erdman Automotive NCAA South Regional Challenge against Spring Hill. Buoyed by a boisterous home crowd and solid defense, the Panthers withstood a late Badger charge to earn a 82-73 victory.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Florida Tech 82, Spring Hill 73
Records: Florida Tech (1-0, 0-0 SSC), Spring Hill (0-1, 0-0 SIAC)
Location:  Charles and Ruth Clemente Center| Melbourne, Fla.
 
FIRST HALF:
• An Elias Martin putback of a Niall Harris miss shortly before the shot clock expired gave the Panthers the first lead.  
• Both teams took some time getting their feet underneath them in each other's first regular season game and the Badgers held a 9-5 lead at the first media timeout.
•  Consecutive threes from Rahsaan Edwards and Niall Harris put Tech back in front.
•  After Jayden Webley's short jumper in the lane tied the game, Florida Tech would hold Spring Hill without a point for the next 4:56.
•  In the meantime, the Crimson and Gray would extend their lead to seven thanks to Martin, Harris and Edwards.
•  Following two Timothy Reilly free throws, Edwards added another five points to bring the Panther lead to double digits.
•  Tech's lead reached 11 with 6:32 remaining before SHC reeled off a 7-0 run over the ensuing 3:12 before a Martin layup stemmed the tide.
•   Florida Tech would take a 36-27 lead into the locker room when Max Polk completed a three-point play with nine seconds remaining after his layup attempt was goaltended.
        
SECOND HALF:
•  Bo Barber's three on the first possession to start the second half would bring Spring Hill within six.
•  On the Badgers' next trip down the floor, Martin would deny Steven Lyles at the basket and then finish the sequence on the other end with a layup on a feed from Harris.
•  After two Lyles free throws, the Panthers would bring the lead back to double digits through Edwards and Harris.
•  A Chase Thompson steal and breakaway layup would give Tech their largest lead of the night to that point at 53-41 with 13:11 to go.
•  Thompson added to the lead with a corner three that put Florida Tech up 57-43 at the 11:32 media timeout.
•  The Panthers' stingy defense kept the lead in double digits until the 5:58 mark when a contested Lyles jumper in the paint would bring SHC within eight.
•   A three-shot foul would be converted at the line by Walter Peggs to shrink the deficit to six with 5:14 to go.
•   Another two at the line from Lyles would bring the margin down to 67-63 with 4:29 to go.
•  Martin took matters into his hands, literally, once again. Two free throws, a crucial rebound and a dunk would give Tech an eight-point with three and a half minutes on the clock.
•   Harris and Martin would team up for the next eight Panther points with Harris' dish to Edwards in the corner for a triple with just over a minute remaining putting the game out of reach.
 
 
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
•  Rahsaan Edwards had quite the Florida Tech debut, putting up 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including 7-of-14 from three-point range.
•  Elias Martin dominated in the paint, contributing 20 points on seven-of-eight shooting, nine rebounds and two blocks.  
•  Niall Harris did a little of everything as usual, scoring 18 points while adding six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.  
 

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:
 
• Florida Tech now leads the all-time series 4-3.
• Tech finished the game shooting 47.5% (29-61) from the field, 35.5% (11-31) from beyond the arc, and 65% (13-20) on free throws. Over the second half, they shot 59.3% (16-27) from the field (16-27) and 45.5% (5-11) from three.
• The Badgers shot 40.7% (24-59) in the contest, 47.8% (11-23) from the three-point range, and 77.8% (14-18) at the line.
• Florida Tech held the advantage in points in the paint (30-24), fast break points (17-4) and second chance points (10-5).
• Clark Atlanta were tops in points off rebounds (37-35)  and bench points (11-3).
 
 
UP NEXT: The Panthers will return to the court on Monday, November 20^th for a matchup with Johnson. Tip-off is set for 7:30 P.M.
 
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