Poor Shooting Dooms FIT In Loss to Lynn

By  //  January 17, 2013

Panthers Now 10-4 Overall

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA Florida Tech struggled to make a bucket in the second half and finished the game shooting 25 percent from the field. The Panthers gave up their lead early in the second half and were not able to regain it in a 60-47 loss to Lynn on Wednesday at the Clemente Center.

Senior Jami Chappell pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to tie her career mark in Florida Tech’s loss to Lynn University on Wednesday. (Image courtesy of Florida Tech)

Florida Tech (10-4, 2-2 SSC) led at the break, 25-24, for the 12th time this season. Then the Panthers extended their lead to 27-24 with a pair of free throws to begin the second half. But Lynn (10-4, 3-2 SSC) gained the lead three minutes later and never gave it up.

The Panthers cut the deficit to three points, 41-38, with 7:27 left after four quick points from sophomore Kayk Wilson. But that was as close as FIT got to the Fighting Knights. Lynn pushed its lead to 50-40 with 4:02 on the clock and then made 11-of-12 free throws down the final stretch to leave Melbourne with a 60-47 victory.

FIT finished the second half shooting 21 percent from the field and committed 12 of its 20 turnovers.

In the first half, Lynn scored the game’s first bucket 28 seconds in, but then went on a scoring drought over the next nine minutes. Florida Tech scored 12 unanswered points to take a 12-2 lead with 11:44 left in the first. The Fighting Knights turned the ball over eight times over the nine-minute span, including two shot clock violations.

Then Lynn started its own run after sinking a 3-pointer with 11:12 remaining in the first. The Fighting Knights went on an 18-4 run to take a 20-18 lead with 5:17 on the clock. The teams exchanged the lead four times before FIT ended the half with 25-24 lead.

The Panthers are now 10-2 when leading at the break, and are now 0-3 when scoring below 50 points this season.

Junior Ida Gustafsson and Wilson tallied a team-high 13 points each, while senior Jami Chappell pulled a game-high 11 rebounds—tying her career mark.

FIT will travel to Saint Leo on Saturday, Jan. 19 for a matchup with the Lions at 2 p.m.