Tars Dominate Tech in SSC Opener, 83-55

MELBOURNE, Fla.-Once again, senior guard Titas Vainauskas led his team and tied all players in the disappointing opening season conference loss 83-55 to
Sunshine State Conference rival Rollins College (3-2, 1-0) in a late afternoon game at the Clemente Center. Vainauskas grabbed the lone double-double for
Florida Tech (2-4, 0-1) tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds while pitching in three assists.

The Panthers definitely felt the loss of leading scorer and senior starter Ryan Maultsby (Vero Beach, Fla.) tonight. Both Maultsby and teammate sophomore
guard E.J. Murray (Rockledge, Fla.) are currently leading the SSC in scoring. Another key reservist who missed tonight was senior center Kevin Krieg (Fort
Myers, Fla.) also sitting due to injury.

Despite the huge loss suffered, the Panthers started off the game strong after winning the jump ball and senior guard Brad Rich (Oviedo, Fla.) hitting an
“NBA” style three pointer from way behind the arc to start the scoring for Tech. Murray answered in the Panthers next possession hitting another three
putting the game in the Panthers favor 6-3 at 19:00 minutes.

The score went back and forth in the next five minutes. Rich again hit a jumper at 14:12 to place Florida Tech up by four for the final time of the game.
The next play would prove to be the turning point in the Tars’ favor. Junior guard Dean Troupe (St. Petersburg, Fla.) cranked out one from the arch to
start a large run for Rollins in the first half.

Three point goals were the name of this game, but unfortunately it was the only shot Tech could make on the court. Coming off the bench, sophomore guard
Kevin Hogan (Pensacola, Fla.) brought it home for Rollins before both teams headed for the locker rooms smacking one more from the arc at 57 seconds left
in the half. This bucket put the Tars up by 15 at the buzzer with a half time score of 43-28.

The Panthers could not find the basket in the second half shooting 27 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three point line to the Tars 50
percent and 40 percent respectively. In the first half, the Panthers and the Tars were even from the arc both making 29.4 percent of their three point
goals.

Defensively, both teams were about equal under the boards with the Tars notching 43 rebounds and Tech banging the glass with 40 boards.

Three Tars each tallied 15 points including sophomore guard Jonny Reibel (Chicago, Ill.), Troupe and junior forward Isaac Codrey (Winter Park, Fla.).
Reibel hit a career first notching a triple double adding ten assists and ten rebounds for the Tars.

Also scoring in the double figures for the Panthers was senior guard Desmond Greene (Rockledge, Fla.) with 12 points. Rich added 10 points, five rebounds
and five assists. Murray had eight points and led his team with six assists.

The Panthers will be back in action hosting Palm Beach Atlantic on Wednesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. concluding the women’s game against Nova
Southeastern.