Gustafsson Helps Panthers Take Down Tritons
By Florida Tech // January 13, 2013
Panthers Shoot Season-High 45.3 Percent
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech collected its 10th win of the season with a 62-48 win over Sunshine State Conference foe Eckerd College on Saturday at the Clemente Center. Junior Ida Gustafsson led the Panthers with her first career double-double, scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
“Ida was outstanding today,” FIT head coach John Reynolds said after the game. “Without even looking at her stats, she gave us quality minutes. She did a great job defensively.”
The teams exchanged jumpers over the opening two minutes, but Florida Tech (10-3, 2-1 SSC) went on a 16-0 run over the next 6:59 to take an 18-2 lead. Gustafsson opened the run with seven consecutive points and scored 11 of the 16 points during the run. She finished the half with game-high 11 points.
Eckerd (5-6, 2-2 SSC) ended its seven-minute scoring drought with 11:05 remaining in the first half with a 3-pointer. The Tritons committed seven of their 12 first-half turnovers during their scoring drought.
The Panthers held Eckerd under 10 points until the 6:46 mark. The Tritons then hit four consecutive 3-pointers, including three by Taylor Bestry over the next four minutes to trail 33-21. But FIT answered with two of its own 3’s by Melissa Echols and Peggy Smith to take a 39-24 halftime lead.
Eckerd outscored the Panthers in the second half, 24-23, but only came within eight points of FIT, twice, throughout the half.
Sophomore Kayk Wilson scored 11 points in the second half going 4-for-4 from the field, including a 3-pointer. Wilson finished with a game-high 19 points. She now has scored in double figures 10 times this season. The 5-foot-7 guard shot 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc.
Gustafsson added five points in the second half, while also pulling down five more rebounds and collecting a career-high three steals. The 6-foot-1 forward/center recorded 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the double-double.
Smith added eight points and shot 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
The Panthers, as a team, finished shooting a season-high 45.3 percent from the field. They also shot 40 percent from behind the arc.
FIT will conclude its three-game homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 16 when it welcomes Lynn to the Clemente Center. The Panthers and Fighting Knights are set to tip at 5:30 p.m.
