Anderson Drops 25 in Losing Cause

Patrick Anderson - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

Junior guard Patrick Anderson led all scorers Wednesday with 25 points, but in the end, it was not enough to keep the Florida Tech men from dropping a 98-90 decision at Florida Southern.

The home team shot Florida Southern shot 60.3 percent (38-of-63) from the floor, including 9-of-10 from three-point range. They hit 13-of-18 from the charity stripe. Florida Tech shot 41.4 percent (29-of-70) and was just 9-of-27 from three.

“We just didn’t shoot the ball very well,” said Florida Tech head coach Billy Mims, in his postgame interview with Paul Van Scott. “When you dig a deep hole, you can’t try to fight out of it and make mistakes.”

Anderson made eight of his 16 shots and buried four from long range, but off shooting nights from Sam Daniel and Jordan Majors, who had huge games in last week’s thrilling 109-106 win over Embry-Riddle, meant that the Panthers struggled offensively and that was the difference in the game. Daniel finished with 16 and Majors with 12.

Things started well for Florida Tech, as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game. They kept that momentum for the first six-plus minutes, extending the lead to 23-13 with 13:57 to go in the first half. Michael Milligan’s three with 9:37 to go made it a 30-22 game, but the Mocs’ quickly closed to 32-31 with 6:38 to go. They capped off an 11-2 run and got their first lead of the night with 5:38 to go, 33-32.

Both teams traded baskets for a bit, but Florida Southern got the upper-hand late and led 46-40 at the half. Credit the Moccasins defense, who clamped down on two of the Sunshine State Conference’s best players in Daniel and Majors. Daniel finished the half, hitting only one of four shots and Majors was two of eight. Those are numbers you just don’t see from those players.

The Panthers (10-6, 3-4 SSC) never led in the second half, going down by as many as 13, 67-54, with 10:33 left. The Mocs’ built it to a 17-point lead with 8:33 to go, up 75-58.

Florida Southern (6-10, 4-4 SSC) kept the double-digit lead until Daniel hit a free-throw with 48 seconds left. That was as close as the Panthers would get the rest of the way.

“We make some silly mistakes at times, where we shoot ourselves in the foot,” said Mims. “We get ourselves back in the game and then we try to make a play and it’s not there, or we try to get a steal that’s not there.”

For more info: Florida Tech @ Florida Southern Box Score

Jarel Spellman and Michael Volovic scored 22 and 20 points respectively, to lead Florida Southern. It was a career-high in points for Spellman.

Next up for the Panthers is a road game at Palm Beach Atlantic, on Saturday. Opening tip is scheduled for shortly after 4:00 p.m. following the women’s game.

“We’re 9-1 at home, but we’re 1-4 on the road,” said Mims. “We need to find a way to play on the road, like we play at home.”




This blog is an extension of our website - Sportslowdown.com
Follow us on Twitter @sports_lowdown

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Panthers Rout Tarzans in Home Opener

Image
Sam Daniel (0) led the Panthers with 22 points in Monday's 110-84 victory After opening the season with two losses in the South Regional Tipoff Classic over the weekend, the Florida Tech Men’s Basketball team took their frustrations out on Puerto Rico-Mayaguez on Monday, with a 110-84 home victory. “It always feels good to home to the friendly confines of the Clemente Center,” said FIT head coach Billy Mims. “I knew when we got back here we’d shoot the ball better and we knocked down 14 threes’ and that’s the way we’re supposed to shoot the basketball.” Florida Tech (1-2) allowed five double-digit scorers in both losses in Atlanta. On Monday, they only allowed three and they had five of their own, led by Sam Daniel , who finished with 22, despite having only four in the first half. “The first half they had a box-and-one one me, pretty much had a player chasing me wherever I went,” Sam said. “It was an excellent job by my teammates stepping up to score the ball an...
Read more

FIT Women Fall Short Against Rollins

Image
The Florida Tech Women’s basketball team made a late run at a comeback Wednesday against Rollins, but ultimately the Tars hung on for a 72-67 Sunshine State Conference win. “It comes down to Rollins wanted that game more than we did,” said Panthers head coach John Reynolds. “I’m thinking that and it hurts me to say something like that, but you can’t come out in a conference game and go 3-for-14 on three’s.” Florida Tech (5-2, 1-2 SSC) led 14-11 after one quarter, The Panthers were within a point at 27-26, but a six-point run by Rollins late in the second helped them outscore the Panthers 25-14 in the quarter and go to the locker room with a 36-28 advantage. The visitors were 5-of-13 beyond the arc in that first half, while the Panthers went 0-for-8. Shequana Harris had eight points and three rebounds in the first 20 minutes, to pace the Panthers. “I think she played as hard and as good as she could,” said Reynolds of Harris. Marie Gilbert gave the Tars a 42-33 adv...
Read more

Tars Big Second Half Beats Panthers

Image
Jordan Majors - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Florida Tech Men’s basketball team had a tough task Saturday, when they traveled to Rollins. For the first 20 minutes, they looked up for it, as they led the Tars 38-32 at the half. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the home team put the pedal to the medal in the second half, scoring 59 points and winning 91-82 in a Sunshine State Conference game. It was the second straight devastating loss in the conference for the Panthers, who dropped a very controversial home game to Saint Leo on Wednesday. “We must be the best first half team in America,” said Florida Tech head coach Billy Mims, in his post-game interview with Jim Mitchell. “But we can’t play 40 minutes of consistency to save or lives.” The Panthers (11-8, 4-6 SSC) were up 12 against Saint Leo and up six at Rollins at the half, but lost both games. Florida Tech got off to a good start Saturday, with Jordan Majors hitting two quick threes. Things sagged...
Read more