Panthers down Tennessee Tech on road

Jerica Coley scored in double-digits to lead her team past Tennessee Tech.

By Steven Rowell/Staff Writer

The Panthers picked up their second-consecutive victory with a 70-65 win over the Tennessee Tech

Golden Eagles on Dec. 16 in Cookeville, Tenn. thanks to three players reaching double figures for FIU.

 

Senior guard Jerica Coley once again reached the 20-point mark as the senior tallied 25 points on 8-17

shooting. Junior forward Arielle Durant chimed in a season high 11 points, with sophomore guard Taylor

Shade coming off the bench to score 12 points her second highest in a game this season and marking

the 3rd time Shade has reached double figures in scoring this season.

 

For the Eagles, four players reach double figures with three players. Junior center Candace

Parsons, junior guard Diamond Henderson and freshman guard Hannah Goolsby each had 13 points

while junior forward T’Keyah Williams added 12.

 

In a closely contested game that saw neither team leading by more than five points and with eight

ties, FIU took the lead for good with 4:14 left in second half after a three pointer by Shade to put the

Panthers up 61-58.

 

The Eagles, trailing 68-65, had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds but Tennessee Tech’s

Henderson misfired on a three pointer and the ensuing rebound was grabbed by Durant and then sank

two free throws to seal the Eagle’s fate and send them to a third straight loss.

 

The Panthers won despite shooting 42.1 percent compared to the Eagles shooting 47.1 percent. For the second

straight game, FIU capitalized at the free-throw line shooting 81.8 percent after previously shooting 91.3 percent in

their last outing against Prairie View A&M.

 

Next up for the Panthers is a trip to Gainesville, Fla. to participate in the Gator Holiday Classic against La

Salle on Friday Dec. 20 and then on Sunday the Panthers will take the court with the opponent still to be

determined. A match-up with Florida is a possibility which is the team that beat FIU last season in the

Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

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