Panthers Dominate Embry-Riddle

Sam Daniel - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

The Florida Tech Panthers won their second straight game Saturday, getting a 102-97 victory over the Embry-Riddle Eagles. The victory completes the season sweep for the Panthers, who beat the Eagles in Melbourne back on January 4 on a Sam Daniel buzzer-beater.

With the Eagles being a provisional member of the Sunshine State Conference this season, the victory does not help Florida Tech in the standings, but it should give them momentum heading into the last two games of the season, both at home.

All five Florida Tech starters finished in double figures, led by 25 from Sam Daniel. Jordan Majors had 19, Patrick Anderson 18, Derek Murphy 16 and Rafael Casanova 15.

Daniel had about 20 family members in the crowd on Saturday, per head coach Billy Mims, who talked to Jim Mitchell at the conclusion of the game. It was a good night for the Daniel family to make the trip.

The Panthers (14-12, 6-10 SSC) led for over 36 minutes Saturday night, with the Eagles last lead, 10-6 coming on a layup by Luka Majstorovic with 17:17 to go in the first half. A three by Daniel made it 10-9 and the Panthers were off and running.

“I felt really good,” said Mims. “Once we took control of the game, we never looked back.”  

That three started a 7-0 run and they followed that with another 6-0 run. They had scoring spurts for the remainder of the first half and went into the locker room with a commanding 51-36 lead. Majors (7-of-13 shooting) led the Panthers with 14 points at the break and Casanova had 11, on four of eight shooting.

The Panthers as a team shot 57.9 percent over the first 20 minutes, despite Daniel only having five points. He came alive in the second half, helping the Panthers hold off an Embry-Riddle rally down the stretch.

With 19:09 to go in the game, the Panthers stretched their lead to 18, 56-38 on a three from Daniel. Embry-Riddle went on a 7-0 run to cut it to 11, but the Panthers kept the pressure on, getting it back to 17 points with 11:40 to go.

The Eagles kept fighting and eventually cut it to 79-70, before Daniel took the air out of their balloon with another three with 8:30 to go. With 5:31 to go, free-throws by Dillon Graham, cut the lead to 84-78. A 6-0 run by Florida Tech got it back to 12, 90-78 with 3:33 to go on an emphatic dunk by 
Robert Booth.

Robert Booth - credit: James Ragan Photography

The Panthers got it back to 13, before a very game Eagles bunch put one more run together, making it a 101-97 game with 11 seconds to go. A free-throw by Booth with five seconds left, iced it.

"They don’t lose very often here,” said Mims of the Eagles. “Not many teams have come here and won.”

For more info: Florida Tech @ Embry-Riddle Box Score

The Panthers are in a must-win situation when they return home Wednesday, to take on the Tampa Spartans. Tampa won the first meeting 96-66 back in December. Tip off on Wednesday is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“I think we control our destiny,” said Mims. “We have two games at home and the bottom line is, we gotta win them.”

The Panthers will close out the season Saturday, hosting Palm Beach Atlantic. That game will start at 4:00 p.m.



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