Panthers Take Down Lynn in OT Thriller
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Julie McCarthy - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography |
Julie McCarthy
hit the game-winning layup with 11 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night,
helping the Florida Tech women get a much-needed Sunshine State Conference win
over the Lynn Fighting Knights, 71-70.
“I thought she was dominant tonight,” said head coach John
Reynolds of McCarthy. “They didn’t have an answer for her.”
McCarthy’s final points put the exclamation point on her big
night. She recorded a double-double, with 28 points and 15 rebounds. She was also
credited with two blocks and two steals.
Things did not start well for the Panthers, who were down
22-15 after the first quarter and watched Lynn start the second stanza with a
7-0 run. The Panthers were able to stay afloat though, as Lynn scored just
three points in the last five minutes of the second stanza.
Despite the Fighting Knights struggles, the Panthers couldn’t
make up much ground, scoring their first points with 2:48 to go in the quarter
on a Michaela Gelbaugh layup.
Free-throws by Gudlau Juliusdottir
and McCarthy, coupled with another hoop from Gelbaugh with three seconds left,
accounted for all six points the Panthers scored, before the half. The Panthers
went to the locker room facing a 32-21 deficit.
“At halftime, we talked about how poorly we played in the first
half,” said Reynolds. “Our performance was soft. It wasn’t what they were
doing, we were just soft, but we were only down 11.”
The Panthers (10-12, 5-10 SSC) made up some ground in the
third quarter, thanks to an 11-2 run early, capped by a Juliusdottir jumper, that
made it a 36-35 game in favor of Lynn. The teams traded baskets for a stretch
before Gelbaugh knocked down two free-throws with 2:39 left in the third,
giving the Panthers their first lead, 41-40. A 5-0 run by the Fighting knights
would give them a 45-41 lead and they maintain that for the final minute of the
third.
Lynn 10-13, 4-11 SSC) would stretch their lead to 54-49 with
5:24 left, thanks to a three-pointer by Brekia Henderson, but the Panthers
clawed their way back, taking a 55-54 lead with 2:32 left on a McCarthy jumper.
Lynn would then take a 59-55 lead, before McCarthy hit a free-throw to cut it
to three, with 1:21 left.
DeLise Williams,
who scored 10 points on the night, hit a three with 51 seconds left, tying the
game at 59. It was the first three the Panthers hit in the game. Williams would
then hit free-throws to cut the lead to 62-60, with 15.7 seconds left, after
Henderson was called for a flagrant one.

For an encore, she
hit a layup with 13 seconds left, sending the game into the extra session, tied
at 62, meaning she scored the Panthers final six points of regulation. Williams
fouled out of the game and was not available for the overtime period.
Three pointer number two came at a critical juncture of overtime
for the Panthers, trailing 66-64 with 2:47 to go, Markeema Crawford drilled it
and gave the Panthers a 67-66 lead. Henderson would then hit two free-throws
with 1:51 to go, giving Lynn the 68-67 lead.
McCarthy then got inside on the Panthers next possession and
the Panthers took a 69-68 lead, with 1:34 to go. Lynn answered with 24 seconds
left, going up by one, before McCarthy hit what proved to be the game-winner.
Henderson did get one last shot off and Lynn was looking for a foul, but it
wasn’t to be and the Panthers celebrated a hard-earned victory at the Clemente
Center.
“That’s probably the best team win we’ve had all year,” said
Reynolds. “I think down the stretch in regulation and down the stretch in
overtime, we were the better defensive team. That whole second half, we followed
the defensive scouting report almost to a tee. Defensively, that was one hell
of a team effort.”
For more info: Lynn
@ Florida Tech Box Score
The Panthers will hit the road Saturday for a 5:00 p.m. game
at Embry-Riddle. The game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
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