Spartans Stun Palm Beach Atlantic

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The injury-plagued University of Tampa men's basketball team snapped a seven-game losing streak as they defeated Palm Beach Atlantic on Wednesday evening. Marco Downer headlined the Spartans offense with career-high's in points and rebounds. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final Score: Tampa 66, Palm Beach Atlantic 63
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (10-12, 4-10 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (9-16, 5-8 SSC)
Location: Rubin Arena || West Palm Beach, Fla.
All-Time Series: The Spartans lead the series 24-7, Tampa snapped a two-game losing streak to the Sailfish.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
1st Half | Tampa shared the wealth in the opening half as five different Spartans logged at least four points. Downer led the way with six points, shooting 3-of-3 with two lay-ups and a dunk. Senior guard, Freddy Ibrahim, grabbed a game-high six rebounds in the first half. Tampa had five different players record two fouls in the opening half. With 30 seconds remaining, Alberto Moreno pinned a shot on the backboard to secure the momentum heading to halftime. The Spartans led 31-27 after 20 minutes of action. 

2nd Half | In the middle of the half, Tampa went on an 15-2 run to extend the lead over 10 points. Downer registered six points during the scoring stretch, and ultimately tallied a career-high 16 points. During the Spartans outburst, the Sailfish missed eight straight shots. However, Palm Beach Atlantic bounced back with a seven-point streak of their own to cut UT's lead to 58-51. PBA shot 41.9% from the field in the second half. The Sailfish went on a 12-5 run with four minutes remaining, and cut the deficit to 64-63. PBA missed a three-pointer with four seconds remaining, and Moreno stepped to the free-throw line and sealed the victory. 

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Downer had a career-night, recording highs in points (16) and rebounds (11). It was also his first career double-double. 
• Ibrahim logged 15 points and eight rebounds, both were season-high's for the senior. 

BEYOND THE BOX:

• Downer has registered at least one blocked shots in 11 consecutive games. The freshman from Jamaica has swatted at least four shots in each of the last three games.
• Moreno returned after missing the last five games due to injury.

UP NEXT: The University of Tampa will host Florida Tech on Saturday afternoon as tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m., join us in the fight against cancer as we raise money for the Children's Cancer Center. 

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