Sports Lowdown

Ashle Thompson (#4) had a career-high 12 points on Wednesday - Credit: James Ragan Photography Senior Ashle Thompson scored a career-high 12 points and pulled down seven boards on Wednesday, helping Florida Tech beat Tampa 58-54 in a Sunshine State Conference battle at the Clemente Center. Thompson, who scored a total of 15 points last season, took advantage of the opportunity she was afforded Wednesday night, getting the start and paying big dividends. She was 6-of-7 from the floor. “I’m really proud of her, but more importantly, I’m happy for her,” said Florida Tech coach John Reynolds. “I am happy for a senior who has been a role player for four years and has seen limited action. Over the last couple weeks, she just decided she was gonna go out and have fun and tonight, she had fun.” Thompson scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half, when the Panthers scored 36 as a team. This despite Florida Tech being without the services of Amanda Allen (sprained ankle...

Panthers coach John Reynolds - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography It was not as good night on the court for the Florida Tech women on Saturday, as they were beaten soundly by the Embry-Riddle Eagles, 65-45. The Panthers never led in this game and shot just 31.4 percent from the field, while the Eagles were 25-of-47 from the field, for 53.2 percent. DeLise Williams 11 points led the Panthers, she also had four steals. Tereza Sedlakova tallied nine points and three rebounds. “If there’s one positive that comes out of this game, it doesn’t mean anything,” said Panthers coach John Reynolds. “It doesn’t affect us in the league, it doesn’t affect us in the standings, but it sure as hell showed me whose got heart and who doesn’t.” The reason the game doesn't affect the Panthers conference standing, is because Embry-Riddle is a provisional member of the Sunshine State Conference, which means they are not eligible for conference tournament play until next season. S...

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 th...

DeLise Williams - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Florida Tech women dropped their third straight game on Wednesday night, falling to the Eckerd Tritons 67-52 at the Clemente Center.  “In the last five minutes, the team the wanted it more, went and got it,” said Panthers head coach John Reynolds. “That’s the game in a nutshell.” DeLise Williams led the Panthers with 14 points and three assists, while Michaela Gelbaugh scored 10 points. Julie McCarthy and Tereza Sedlakova had six boards each for the Panthers. The Panthers (9-10, 4-8 in SSC) struggled in the first half, shooting 37.5% (9-for-24) and were struggling to dig out of the hole that created, the rest of the night. Their shooting did not improve in the second half, as they were 6-for-27 (22.2%), but their defense did. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. In the first quarter, Florida Tech got a three-point play by Gelbaugh with two minutes left and a three-pointer from Markeema...

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...