
Tampa Unable To Tame Panthers In Home Opener
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa men's basketball team squared off against Florida Tech on Wednesday night in the Bob Martinez Center. The Panthers came out on top, as they claimed a 68-61 victory in the first SSC game for both teams.
In the first half, neither team was able to get much going as FIT went into halftime with a 26-23 advantage. The Spartans were held to 29 percent from the field, while they held the Panthers to 36.7 percent.
Marcel Robinson led UT in the first half, as the sophomore had six points and three rebounds at the break.
The second half of play remained close as Tampa was able to shoot 42.9 percent (15-35) from the field. However, the Spartans were unable to connect from three-point range, as the team shot 25 percent (3-12) from beyond the arc.
UT pulled within five with three minutes to go but FIT was able to connect on key free-throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Tampa was led by freshman Pat Bacon, who scored a career high 25 points. Austin Rettig was also in double figures as he picked up 12 points on the night. Robinson led the team in rebounds as he picked up 10 boards and added nine points.
The Spartans will be in action again on Saturday, as they travel to Winter Park to take on the Rollins College Tars. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m.
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