MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Lynn University women's basketball team got into its rhythm a bit too late on Wednesday night, falling 70-63 at the hands of Florida Tech in Sunshine State Conference action.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: Florida Tech 70, Lynn 63

Records: Florida Tech (17-7, 11-4 SSC), Lynn (4-19, 2-12 SSC)

Location: Charles & Ruth Clemente Center | Melbourne, Fla.

Series: Florida Tech leads 29-14

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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• First Quarter: The Panthers controlled the tip and scored the opening bucket, but Nina Guillaume's second-chance effort gave the Fighting Knights their first basket of the night. Charla Nelson-James scored four of the first six points for the Blue and White, and Bria Huffman followed by connecting on back-to-back jumpers. Tifani Kerrison collected three rebounds in the frame, but Florida Tech carried a 17-12 lead into the second quarter.
• Second Quarter: The home team went on an 8-0 run to open the frame, but Nelson-James broke the trend with a layup following a Lynn timeout. She went on to finish the half with a team-high eight points to help Lynn's bench total 17 for the first 20 minutes. Kerrison sunk a mid-range jumper just before the stanza ended, but the Panthers worked out to a 36-21 halftime advantage.
• Third Quarter: Guillaume started the scoring after the intermission, but Florida Tech remained in their offensive rhythm, shooting 50% from the floor for the quarter. Huffmann and Panther guard Tiesha Flagler each scored six points in the frame to lead their respective teams. Six different Panthers found the bottom of the net to help Florida Tech to a 55-37 advantage heading to the final period.
• Fourth Quarter: Kerrison began the final chapter by knocking down a shot from behind the arc, and the Fighting Knights scored nine of the quarter's first 13 points. Later in the quarter, Kerrison scored layups on consecutive Lynn possessions to cut the deficit to single digits. The Blue and White were forced to foul down the stretch, however, allowing the Panthers to come away with the victory.

STATS FROM THE GAME:

• Kerrison and Guillaume tied one another for a team-high 13 points, while Nelson-James and Huffmann combined for 22.
• Flagler led all scorers with 16 points as one of three Panthers in double-figures.
• Julie McCarthy hauled in a game-high ten rebounds for Florida Tech.
• The Panthers outrebounded their guests 40-35, but Lynn shot 44.6% from the floor for the night.
• Each team connected on just four three-pointers after combining to take 23.
• Florida Tech got to the free throw line 29 times, connecting on 22 of them.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The Fighting Knights saw four players score in double-figures for the third consecutive game.

UP NEXT

Lynn will next host Rollins College on Saturday, when the Fighting Knights will also show their support for the Play 4Kay Initiative. Tipoff is set for 2:00 pm from de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center.