MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech and Florida Southern have had their fair share of classics over the years and Saturday evening added to the catalog. After their shooting touch disappeared for most of the second half, they found it at just the right time, going on a 13-3 run over the game's final 4:38 for a vital 71-68 victory.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 25 Florida Tech 71, Florida Southern 68
Records: Florida Tech (10-2, 3-2 SSC), FSC (11-4, 5-1 SSC)
Location: Charles and Ruth Clemente Center | Melbourne, Fla.
 
FIRST HALF:

• The Moccasins opened the scoring 30 seconds with Luke Anderson putting back his own miss. He added to the lead on their next possession with a corner three.
• Chase Thompson got Tech on the board a minute and a half in as he cleaned up a David McCullough miss.
• The Panthers shook off the early rust to fire off a 12-0 run in just under two minutes thanks to threes from Niall Harris and Rahsaan Edwards, a David McCullough jumper and dunks from Elias Martin and McCullough to take a 14-6 advantage.
• As the two teams settled into a rhythm and traded baskets, Thompson scored on three consecutive possessions to extend the Tech lead to six at 21-15.
• Two Alex Steen free throws broke an over three and a half minute scoring drought for the Mocs.
• A Steen layup on the next possession, followed by a goaltending call after a Panther turnover would bring Florida Southern within 27-25 at the 5:23 mark.
• The Mocs would draw even at 29 thanks to an Anderson layup with 3:48 remaining.
• The Crimson and Gray retook the lead following the media timeout thanks to an Edwards three as the shot clock expired.
• That triple would power Florida Tech on a 10-5 run to close the half as they took a 39-34 lead into the locker room.

 
SECOND HALF:

• Florida Southern opened the scoring with a Steen layup following a Panther turnover 45 seconds in.
• Edwards pushed the lead to nine with 17:38 left thanks to a four-point after being fouled on a made three from the top of the key.
• Erickson Bans' jumper brought the Moccasins to within 51-48 at the 11:40 mark.  
• A pair of Anderson free throws at 8:53 gave the Mocs their first lead since 6-5 as the Panthers endured a 10-minute stretch without a field goal.
• The Moccasin lead reached 60-54 with 6:34 remaining after a Steen fast break layup.
• Max Polk's jumper in the paint broke Tech's scoring drought and made it a 62-56 game with 5:23 remaining.
• Martin made it a four-point game with 4:54 to go with a pair of free throws. FSC responded on their next possession through a Dominick Denny triple to push their advantage to 65-58 and the likelihood of a Panther victory was fading rapidly.
• Martin sunk both of his free throws to cut the deficit to five with just over four minutes to go.
• Harris' layup brought the Crimson and Gray within three with 3:20 to play, only for the Mocs to respond with an Akol Arop jump hook.
• Edwards' three with 2:33 to go made it a one-possession game, giving Florida Tech and their crowd life.
• Following two massive stops, Harris put the Panthers back in front with 1:20 to go with a three ball from the left wing.
• McCullough came up with a critical steal of Arop around the basket with a minute on the clock.
• After Edwards missed a corner three, Bans' layup attempt at the other would not fall.
• Edwards split a pair of free throws with 26.4 remaining to push the margin to 69-67.
• Martin denied Denny at the basket with under 10 second left, McCullough then grabbed the rebound to ensure the stop and was promptly fouled.
• McCullough would hit one of two at the line to make it a 70-67 ballgame.  
• Florida Southern pushed quickly up the court to attempt a game-tying three but Polk fouled Arop before they could get the shot away.
• Arop hit the first free throw, attempted to intentionally miss the second but Darragh O'Sullivan grabbed the all-important rebound.
• O'Sullivan split his two shots at the line but the Panthers were able to punch away the rebound on the second shot, allowing the clock to run out.

 
NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Tonight's players of the game, presented by Revolution Technologies, were Niall Harris and Rahsaan Edwards.
• The graduate student from Leicester, England posted a double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists two blocks and a steal. This was the 17^th consecutive game in which Harris pulled down five or more rebounds.
• The graduate student guard from Charlestown, West Virginia led the Panthers with 17 points, including five three-pointers.
• Elias Martin's four blocks move him into a tie for fifth place in program history as he now has 81 career blocks, matching Justin Sedlak (2006-2011). He is the sixth Panther ever to record 80 or more career blocks.
• David McCullough posted his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to four assists, three blocks and two steals.
• Chase Thompson contributed 12 points and five rebounds.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Florida Southern leads the all-time series 72-27.
• This was the Panthers' first victory over the Moccasins since an 85-80 triumph on December 1, 2021 at the Clemente Center.
• Florida Tech are now 19-25 all-time at home against Florida Southern.

 
UP NEXT: Florida Tech will next play on Wednesday, Jan. 10 when the Panthers travel to Eckerd for a midweek conference matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Fla.
 
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