Women's Basketball Takes Down Florida Tech in Dominant Road Victory

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The University of Tampa women's basketball team dominated the Florida Tech Panthers in a blowout victory Wednesday night.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final Score: Tampa 62, Florida Tech 42

Records: University of Tampa Spartans (11-3, 8-0 SSC), Florida Institute of Technology Panthers (8-9, 4-5 SSC)

Location: Melbourne, Fla || Charles & Ruth Clemente Center

All-Time Series: Tampa leads in the all-time series 41-35 and is currently on a four-game winning streak. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

1st Quarter | The game started with a three-pointer drained by Florida Tech. LaShayla Wright-Ponder put the Spartans on the board with a made layup inside the paint. That started a 7-0 run for the Spartans, giving them a four-point lead. Tampa kept that lead for most of the quarter, until the Panthers knocked down a couple of three-pointers to gain their lead back near the end of the quarter. Melijah Sullivan hit a last-second jumper to tie the game going into the second quarter. || Tampa 13, Florida Tech 13

2nd Quarter | Sullivan continued her hot shooting as she scored the Spartans first four points. Aliyah Abney swished in a three from deep to score her first points of the games. Sullivan mid-range game was hot as she knocked down 10 points in this quarter alone, shooting 5-5. The half ended with a deep, beyond the arch, three by Kris Nelson as the last few seconds wound down. Tampa shot 88.9 percent from the field. || Tampa 32, Florida Tech 25

3rd Quarter | Tampa defense held Florida Tech's shooting to only 25 percent, as they shot 3-12. Meanwhile, Sullivan still couldn't be contained as she scored another six points. Dori Nagy scored five points and grabbed six rebounds in the quarter. The Spartans ended the quarter shooting greater than 60 percent. || Tampa 45, Florida Tech 35

4th Quarter | Tampa began the final quarter on a 7-0 run that gave them a 17-point lead. The Panthers picked up their defense as they forced Tampa to commit four back-to-back turnovers early on. The game ended with the Spartans on a 10-5 run and on top. || Tampa 62, Florida Tech 42

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Both Dori Nagy and Melijah Sullivan were the leading scorers with 20 points each. Nagy also grabbed 16 rebounds and six assists. 
• Tampa scored 36 points in the paint, 22 points off turnovers, and seven bench points.
• Tampa shot 59.5 percent from the field (25-42).

BEYOND THE BOX:

• This is Melijah Sullivan's second 20+ points game of the season. 
• The is Dori Nagy's fifth 20+ point games of the season.
• Dori Nagy tied her career high in rebounds with 16. 

UP NEXT: Tampa will return to the Martinez Athletics Center to compete against Lynn University on Jan. 18 at 2 P.M. 

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