Tritons Down Florida Tech to Open Conference Play

Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - One year ago, Florida Tech presented the Eckerd women's basketball team what very well might have been its toughest matchup of any opponent that season.

In Wednesday night's Sunshine State Conference opener, the Tritons found the answer that they needed in knocking off the previously unbeaten Panthers, 65-53.

"I was pleased with how hard we competed," EC head coach Paul Honsinger said.  "It was a game we had to grind out defensively and we were able to come away with the win.  We held them to just five field goals in the second half and executed well enough despite a cold shooting night of our own."

To say the Tritons dominated defensively would be an understatement.  Eckerd held FIT to 25 percent shooting (15-of-60) and forced 23 turnovers, turning those miscues into 18 points.

The Tritons (2-1, 1-0 SSC) never trailed in the game after opening on a 16-8 run thanks in part to three 3-pointers from Anna Deegan.  But the Tritons also never enjoyed a comfortable lead until late in the game as Florida Tech extended possessions with 19 offensive rebounds and frequently got to the free throw line.

Eckerd led by eight points with two minutes left in the first half, but the Panthers cut the deficit to three (30-27) at halftime highlighted by a steal and halfcourt buzzer-beater by FIT's Michaela Gelbaugh.

As it turned out, Gelbaugh's basket was the last field goal Florida Tech would make for almost 15 minutes.

The Panthers went 0-for-14 in the third quarter, yet were able to stay close after going 14-of-18 from the free throw line.  But by the time Tanease Richardson's layup at the 5:17 mark of the fourth quarter broke FIT's drought for 20 straight misses, the Triton lead had reached 11 points.  

Florida Tech (2-1, 0-1 SSC) got no closer than seven points the rest of the way, and Eckerd sealed it with a 7-0 run late in the game.

Senior Victoria Vine again set the tone on both ends of the floor, leading all scorers with 17 points while also grabbing seven rebounds and snagging a career-best seven steals - her last creating a run-out lay-up that put Eckerd up by nine with three minutes to play.  Deegan added 13 points and Ashley Folsom scored 10 before fouling out.

The Tritons return to the floor on Saturday, visiting provisional SSC member Embry-Riddle for a 5:00 PM tipoff in Daytona Beach.