DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Florida Tech men's basketball team were a mere four seconds away from their first 8-0 start since 2007-08 but a buzzer-beater sent their Sunshine State Conference matchup with Embry-Riddle to overtime, where they fell just short, 97-94. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Florida Tech 94, Embry-Riddle 97 (OT)
Records: Florida Tech (7-1, 2-1 SSC), Embry-Riddle (6-2, 1-1 SSC)
Location: ICI Center | Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
FIRST HALF:

• Florida Tech gave themselves the ideal start by opening the game on a 10-3 run over the game's first two and a half minutes. Leading the charge were threes from David McCullough and Chase Thompson as well as layups from Elias Martin and Niall Harris.
• A three from Dru Nickson allowed the Eagles to start a 10-0 run of their own over the next two and a half minutes to bring Embry-Riddle within two at the first media timeout.
• The offenses would slow down over the next three minutes with a Danny Sully layup giving ERAU their first lead of the night, 18-16, at the 11:45 media timeout. 
• Tech hit a deep slump through the midway point of the half, going 5:24 without a field goal until a Rahsaan Edwards triple at the 9:20 mark, at which point the Crimson and Gray trailed by seven. 
• Just before the seven-minute mark, McCullough rebounded a Max Polk miss, absorbed the contact in mid-air and put home the layup to begin a 9-2 run for the Panthers that brought them within three with four and a half minutes remaining in the half.
• That's as close as Florida Tech would get for the remainder of the half as Embry-Riddle would keep them at arm's length over the final 4:30 and went into the intermission with a 40-33 lead. 

 
SECOND HALF:

• The Panthers would use the perimeter to work their way back into the game during the opening stages of the second half with Niall Harris knocking down a pair of threes and Thompson adding one as well.
• A layup from Martin and two McCullough free throws shrunk the deficit to two with just under 16 minutes to play.
• McCullough gave Tech their first lead since 16-14 with a dunk around a defender with 15:25 to go. 
• Following the 11:18 media timeout, the Crimson and Gray outscored the Eagles 10-5 over the next three and a half minutes thanks to a 7-7 stretch at the free throw line. 
• Florida Tech's lead would extend to seven with exactly seven minutes to play on a Thompson free throw.
• Embry-Riddle closed within 69-68 with 5:39 remaining when Nickson hit two of three at the line and Malcolm Whitlow converted layups on consecutive possessions.
• The Panthers would create some breathing room thanks to a Martin layup and Polk trey.
• ERAU made it a one-possession game again thanks to a three from Whitlow.
• A jumper from Harris and a Martin free throw pushed the lead back to six with 3:19 left.
• After Nickson sunk both of his free throws and an Eagle stop, Cameron Shockley-Okeke's triple from the top of the key made it a one-point game with 1:50 on the clock. 
• With 1:29 remaining, McCullough buried a pair of critical free throws to keep Tech in front. Following a stop, he would hit one of two to make a two-possession game with 1:14 to go.
• Martin came up with a massive block of Sully's jump hook in the lane with 1:02 left. 
• After a Panther turnover, a pair of offensive rebounds led to a Jon Alessandro tip-in to cut the deficit to 80-78 with 18.2 on the clock. 
• Needing to at least get over half court and burn some time, Martin found McCullough open for a dunk to give Florida Tech some insurance.
• ERAU countered with a quick three from Whitlow to bring them within 82-81 with just 05.3 seconds left.
• Harris would be fouled on the inbound with 04.1 seconds left and hit one of his two free throws.
• Nickson took the inbound, drove the length of the floor and hit a layup over two Panther defenders at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

OVERTIME

• The Panthers won the tip but did not score on the opening possession, which the Eagles would take to the other end and make count through a Whitlow layup in the paint.
• Thompson committed an offensive foul but Tech would force a stop on the defensive end.
• After Florida Tech came up empty on their second possession, Alessandro would knock down two free throws.
• Nearly a minute later, Martin would cut the deficit to three by splitting his free throws.
• Following an Eagle turnover, McCullough's three from the wing brought the Crimson and Gray level at 87 all.
• Embry-Riddle retook the lead on their next possession when Shockley-Okeke knocked down two free throws.
• The Panthers would match that with a driving Harris layup that tied the game at 89 heading inside the final minute.
• Sully converted both of his free throws to put the Eagles back in front with 54 seconds to play.
• McCullough hit one of two at the line with 34 seconds remaining.
• Max Polk was able to get a steal on the ensuing possession but could not convert the would-be go-ahead layup. 
• The game essentially finished at the free throw line as the two teams combined to go 10-10 at the charity stripe over the final 10 seconds as Tech were prevented from putting up the three-point attempt that could have tied the game again. 

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Florida Tech had five players in double figures on the night, led by David McCullough's 26 points. The graduate student also added 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
• Niall Harris provided 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
• Chase Thompson contributed 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
• Elias Martin posted 10 points, two assists, a rebound and a block. He now has a career total of 67 blocks, putting him in the program's top 10 all-time. 
• ET Thiam had his best game of the season to date with 10 points, four rebounds, two blocks and an assist. 

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Florida Tech shot 42.6 percent (26-for-61) from the floor, 44.4 percent (12-for-27) from beyond the arc and 76.9 percent (30-for-39) at the free throw line. 
• Embry-Riddle shot 45.5 percent (30-for-66) from the floor, including 48 percent (12-for-25) from three-point range and 96.2 percent (25-for-26) at the free throw line.
• Tech had the edge in second chance points (15-10) and offensive rebounds (15-12)
• ERAU held the advantage in points off turnovers (12-11), bench points (24-18) and points in the paint (30-24).
• Both teams had 39 rebounds in total. 
• The Panthers move to 9-11 all-time against the Eagles.
• Tech are now 4-6 all-time in Daytona Beach.
• The Eagles have won seven of the past ten meetings dating back to the 2017-18 season. 
• The Crimson and Gray's last win at the ICI Center was an 80-63 triumph on January 17, 2018. 

 
UP NEXT: 
The Panthers will be off for nine days before returning to the court on Monday December 18^th at the Clemente Center for Day One of the 2023 Health First Winter Classic against Barton. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 P.M.
 
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