Panthers Off To Quick Start In Women’s Basketball
By Florida Tech // November 11, 2012
FIT Plays Alabama-Huntsville Saturday
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech had 13 players available for the Gatto’s Tire and Auto Service Tip-Off Classic finale, and every one of them chipped in on the scoring. The Panthers improved to 2-0 on the season with a decisive 81-46 victory over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez on Saturday.
“I think every game we are going to find somebody who is going to step up for us,” head coach John Reynolds said after the win. “We are deep at every position, and someone different everyday has a chance to get it done. I thought Ashley [Hampton] did a great job today, and BreAnn Davis did a nice job rebounding again for us.”
The 5-foot-9 graduate student Ashley Hampton had a career day. She collected a career-high 16 points and eight rebounds in just 16 minutes of action. Hampton, who previously played for Division I Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), also recorded a career-best two 3-pointers to contribute to her 11-point second half.
For the second-straight game, freshman BreAnn Davis pulled down nine boards, with eight of them coming on the defensive side of the court. Davis also recorded a game-high three blocked shots.
Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (0-2) kept the game close for the first 13 minutes of the game, staying within 10 points of the Panthers. But FIT (2-0), with a 22-14 lead, pulled away using a 23-8 run over the final 7:40 of the first half.
The Panthers scored 14 of those 23 points from the free-throw line, going 14-of-16 as a team over the final 7:40. Sophomore Kayk Wilson scored half of those points, going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe during the span. And for the second-straight time, the Panthers knocked down three foul shots with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half. This time it was redshirt freshman Peggy Smith who made good on her free throws after being fouled behind the arc.
FIT finished the half going 22-of-25 from the free-throw line.
In the second half, the Panthers never saw their lead drop below 20 points. FIT took a 30-point lead, 66-36, with 5:49 remaining in the contest with five-straight points from Hampton. The Panthers’ largest lead of 36 points came twice at the 3:33 and 1:19 marks before eventually winning by 35 points, 81-46.
Junior Jasmire Brown led all scorers with 17 points, scoring 15 in the first half. Brown was 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, while tying a career-high with three 3-pointers, going 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
Also scoring in double figures was Hampton with 16 points and Wilson with 14. Wilson added a career-best five steals. Rita Acevedo, collecting four steals, and Jami Chappell, collecting three steals, also set career-highs in the category. The Panthers earned 23 steals and caused 30 turnovers.
FIT will now travel to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, Nov, 17 to take part in the Nova Southeastern Classic. The Panthers will take on Alabama-Huntsville to open the classic at 2 p.m., and will then face Clark Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m.
