Home » Home » Florida Tech Defeats UPR-Bayamon 87-65 to Capture Panthers First Win

Florida Tech Defeats UPR-Bayamon 87-65 to Capture Panthers First Win

By  //  December 1, 2024

THE SPACE COAST DAILY – FRIDAY NIGHT LOCKER ROOM TEAM IS BREVARD'S #1 SPORTS SOURCE

Florida Tech gets First Win of the Season against UPR – Bayamon. Xavier Ford-Belton would get the scoring going for Tech with a layup followed by a Max Polk layup to take the first lead of the game over the Cowboys, 4-0. (Florida Tech image)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Tech notched its first win of the season against UPR – Bayamon. Xavier Ford-Belton would get the scoring going for Tech with a layup followed by a Max Polk layup to take the first lead of the game over the Cowboys, 4-0.

The teams would stay close in battle over the course of the first six minutes tied at 10-10. Max Polk would look to change that with a one-man coast to coast trip and scoring a layup to start a run for the Panthers.

Tech would grow their lead to six which it would stay at until the seven minute mark when the Panthers would catch fire.

A barrage of baskets from Elhadji Thiam, Donovan Brown, Can Kaan Turgut, Emmanouil Dimou, and Aj Lieuwen would carry the Panthers to a huge lead now up 20 points, 46-26.

The Panthers would finish the half out with a (7-0) run over the last 90 seconds as they would be up big at the break, Donovan Murphy would get a layup with one second left to take a 51-26 lead.

Second Half:

The Cowboys would not go down without a fight as they would simply not miss to start the second half.

A 25-point lead would be erased as Techs lead would go from 25 to a single-digit eight points in eight minutes, a scene the Panthers are all too familiar with this season.

A layup by Xavier Ford-Belton would stop the bleeding there as the Panthers would than finally get their offense going.

Elhadji Thiam would lead the Panthers in the second half scoring 12 and grabbing four boards to lead Tech back to a huge lead of 21.

Tech would hold the Cowboys scoreless for three minutes in the process and put their bench in with two minutes to play and go on to win, 87-65.

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

■ Donovan Brown led the Panthers in scoring with 19 points.

■ Elhadji “ET” Thiam had his best game of the season posting a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

■ All-time vs. Puerto Rico-Bayamon: 20-2.

■ Tech is now 17-2 at home vs. the Cowboys.

UP NEXT:

The Panthers will have a quick turnaround hosting North Greenville University tomorrow, 1:30pm at the Clemente Center looking to go 2-0 on the weekend.

Florida Tech’s Department of Athletics Earns NCAA Presidents’ Award for Academic SuccessRelated Story:
Florida Tech’s Department of Athletics Earns NCAA Presidents’ Award for Academic Success

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS