Box Score LAKELAND - DeLise Williams and Shequana Harris combined for 43 points to power Florida Tech to a 73-61 upset of 19th ranked Florida Southern, handing the Moccasins their first loss of the season.
Florida Southern entered the game with an 8-0 overall record and a 3-0 mark in the Sunshine State Conference, but could not overcome a slow start that saw Florida Tech take a 13-2 lead just four minutes into the contest.
The 8-0 start was the second best start in the FSC program history.
The Moccasins scored on a Jensen Blassage jumper at 9:09 to knot the game at 2-2 but then saw the Panthers (6-2 overall and 3-1 in the SSC) score the game's next 13 points. Anja Fuchs-Robetin ended Florida Tech's streak with a basket at 4:58.
Florida Tech remained in control taking a 19-11 lead at the end of the first period and held Florida Southern at bay, not letting the Moccasins get any closer than seven points over the second period, grabbing a 29-20 lead at intermission. Williams and Harris, the SSC's leading scorer, each scored seven points in the first half.
Fuchs-Robertin led the Mocs in the first 20 minutes with seven points while Blassage and Camille Giardina each added four points.
Florida Southern opened the second half on a 9-4 run behind a three-point by by Giardina and three buckets by Mariah Harris to cut the Panthers lead to just four, 33-29, at the 7:30 mark. Again, Florida Tech went on a 15-2 run to go ahead 48-31 with 4:16 left in the third period and went on to lead 52-41 at the end of the period.
The Moccasins chipped away at the Panther lead, pulling within five, 55-50, on a Giardina jumper with just under six minutes remaining, but couldn't get any closer.
Harris and Giardina each netted 14 for Florida Southern while Fuchs-Robertin finished with a career-high 12 points. Harris connected on seven of her eight field goals. Blassage tallied seven points and dished out five assists while Flo Ward contributed five points.
Florida Southern, which entered game leading the Sunshine State Conference in field goal and free throw shooting, was held to 38 percent shooting, including just 27 percent in the opening half. On the night, the Mocs were 3-of-11 from the three-point line and 12-of-20 from the charity stripe.
Florida Tech shot 46 percent for the game and blistered the nets for 60 percent in the second half.
Kailyn Ebb grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Panthers as Florida Tech won the battle of the boards, 42-31.
Florida Southern will take a break from competition as the academic year draws to a close. The next action for the Moccasins will be Dec. 17-18 in the FSC/Terrace Hotel Classic at Jenkins Field House.
