Panthers Claw Past Lady Techsters in a Nail-Biter at Thomas Assembly Center
The Florida International Panthers edged out the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters with a final score of 73-71. The Panthers, who have not been ranked this season, demonstrated resilience on the court. The Lady Techsters matched their intensity but fell short by two points. Both teams fought hard throughout the game, which saw numerous lead changes and ties.
The Panthers started off trailing in the first quarter with 15 points to the Lady Techsters' 17 but bounced back in the second quarter by adding 24 points to their tally. They maintained their momentum into the third quarter with an additional 20 points and concluded with a solid fourth-quarter performance of 14 points. Overall, they shot at a commendable field goal percentage of 46 percent and were successful on more than half of their two-point attempts.
Defensively, Florida International was formidable, racking up an impressive total of 14 steals and contributing two blocks to keep pressure on their opponents. Their tenacity was also evident as they capitalized on turnovers, scoring 23 points off them while maintaining an assists turnover ratio slightly above half.
On offense, Florida International's players showed determination inside the paint with a dominant display that resulted in them scoring 38 points from close range. Their effort from beyond the arc contributed another five three-pointers to their scoreline at a rate of nearly one-third success per attempt.
The team's rebounding efforts were notable as well; they secured nine offensive rebounds which led to crucial second-chance opportunities amounting to 16 additional points for them during this tightly contested match-up.
While personal fouls were high for both sides—with Florida International committing a total of twenty-five—their ability to draw fouls led them to make sixteen free throws out of twenty-four attempts.
On Louisiana Tech's side, despite falling just short in terms of scoring, they showcased strong shooting efficiency especially from within two-point range where they made over sixty percent of those shots taken. They also edged out Florida International slightly in total rebounds by securing thirty-three compared to thirty for FIU.
Looking ahead for fans eager to follow their team's journey: The next challenge awaiting Florida International Panthers will be against Sam Houston Bearkats at Bernard Johnson Coliseum located in Huntsville Texas on February third at three o'clock PM Eastern Time (2 PM Central). Supporters can catch all action live as it unfolds right from Bernard Johnson Coliseum or tune into broadcasts scheduled for that day.