DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team suffered its worst loss of the season on Saturday, falling to Florida Tech 59-35 at the ICI Center. The game marked the lowest scoring total of the year for the Eagles who move to 5-12 with the loss.
 
Saturday was the chilliest day of the year in Florida so far in 2016, and the Eagles' offense was equally as cold as they managed just 10 made baskets on the night on 28.6 percent shooting from the field. The Panthers' pressure on defense resulted in a season-high 28 ERAU turnovers, which FIT turned into 28 points. The Panthers also dominated the Blue and Gold on the offensive glass, tallying 26 second-chance points off 27 offensive rebounds.
 
"It's obvious we still have a lot of work to do," ERAU Head Coach Lisa Nuxol-Wilson commented after the game. "FIT is a physical and strong team and we got out-muscled on a lot of occasions, both on the offensive boards and just in general with the ball in our hands. We can definitely take this as a learning opportunity and motivation to improve during this transition year". 
 
Sabrina Whiting was the only player who scored in double figures for ERAU as she finished the night with a game-high 13 points. Taylor Cyphers had eight points and four rebounds, while Laniere Coleman recorded five rebounds and five blocks.
 
Following a layup by Mercedes Jorge that tied the game at 2-2 early in the first period, the Panthers went on a 7-0- run to open up a 9-2 lead with 4:14 left in the quarter. Whiting's jumper halted the FIT run and ignited a 6-0 spurt for the Blue and Gold, and at the end of the first 10 minutes, the Florida Tech lead was trimmed to two points (10-8).
 
Two and half minutes into the second period, baskets by Whiting and Taylor Cyphers, and a Kalah Martin free throw gave the Eagles their first lead (13-12), but the advantage was short-lived as the Panthers, who bested the Eagles 12-3 on the offensive glass and scored 11 second chance points in the quarter, surged ahead again and led 27-17 at the half.
 
The third quarter proved to be Embry-Riddle's undoing. The Eagles were just 1-of-7 from the field, while the Panthers scored 10 points off turnovers and eight more second chance points to widen the gap to 47-22.
 
The Eagles won the fourth quarter 13-12, but it was too little too late as the Panthers improved to 12-5 on the year.
 
Tiesha Flagler paced the Panther offense with 12 points, while Julie McCarthy and Shequena Harris added 10 points apiece.
 
The Eagles will look to right the ship on Wednesday when they travel to West Palm Beach to take on fellow Sunshine State Conference provisional member Palm Beach Atlantic at 5:30 p.m.