Five Panthers Finish with Double-Digit Points against No. 20 FSC at Home.
MELBOURNE, FLA. – The Panthers went toe to toe with one of the best teams in the conference tonight and we saw some new faces post career-highs in the box score as Tech took the loss by just 10 at home to No. 20 FSC.
FINAL: Florida Tech 74, No. 20 FSC 84
Records: Florida Tech (3-16, 0-11 SSC) No. 20 FSC (17-4, 8-3 SSC)
Locations: Clemente Center | Melbourne, FL
STATS OF THE MATCH:
First Half:
- For the first time this season, the Panthers deployed a starting lineup without Donovan Brown, Techs' leading scorer.
- Early in this one, it seemed as though this new lineup provided Tech with new life as they battled back and forth with the Mo. 20 Mocs.
- Isaiah Edden getting the start for Tech knocked down a three-pointer starting the scoring for the home team, 3-2.
- To follow, Max Polk would answer his fellow Panther with a three-pointer of his own, 6-4.
- The team would exchange baskets, and it would be the Mocs who would build the largest lead of eight, 11-19.
- With the help of Xavier Ford-Belton, Logan Allen, and Donovan Murphy, the Panthers would erase that lead to just one point, 18-19.
- Again, the teams would match each other offensively until the Mocs already up three, 27-30 would deliver a (1-15) run heading into halftime claiming the largest lead of the game up, 28-45 at the break.
Second Half:
- Ford-Belton would start the second half with a jumper to cut into the Mocs lead as the Panthers went with a lineup in hopes of erasing the deficit they faced, 30-45.
- The Panthers would get hot from the field in the second half and match all the Mocs baskets with a basket of their own, climbing to within 11, 36-47 with scoring efforts from Brown, Polk, Edden, and Ford-Belton.
- Tech would continue one of their best-scoring games of the season as Edden and Polk would hit timely three-pointers, but the Mocs would continue to answer.
- With the Panthers trailing by just 10 points with 6:30 minutes left, a questionable technical foul would play a huge factor in giving the Mocs more cushion to their lead.
- The Mocs would increase their lead to 18 points with 3:25 left before one last surge from the Panthers.
- Edden, Brown, and Allen would all contribute late erasing the 18-point lead to just eight with 52 seconds left but their comeback would fall short as a late offensive rebound for the Mocs would put this game away.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
- Five players for the Panthers registered in double-digit points.
- Max Polk finished with a game-high 16 points.
- Xavier Ford-Belton finished with a career-high 14 points and a career-high/game-high nine rebounds.
- Isaiah Edden registered a career-high 14 points and a career-high five assists.
- Logan Allen finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
- Donovan Brown added in 13 points off the bench
COACHES CORNER:
- "We were extremely proud of the team for the way we competed for the entire game." said Head Coach Billy Mims. "We were down 17 points at half and got as close as 8 pushing FSC until the very end. I was impressed with our defense tonight holding FSC below their season average especially Max Polk holding Jadin Booth to a season-low six points when he averages 23 points in conference. Another person was impressed with was Logan Allen, I felt that he improved tonight as he held a player who averages a near double-double in Alex Steen to 14 points and six rebounds. The group coming out of the second half gave us a boost to cut the deficit and we're proud to see them fight. If we continue to play hard like this the rest of the season, we can get some more wins under our belt."
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- All-time vs. Florida Southern: 29-75
- Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Moccasins have won 15 of 21 matchups.
- Tech is 17-27 all-time at home vs. FSC including a 4-3 mark since the start of the 2018-19 season.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers will turn around and play host again to Embry-Riddle University in a weekday matchup on Wednesday, January 29
th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Clemente Center.
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Florida Tech Men'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.