The Spartans Set to Host Tournament Over Christmas Break

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa Basketball teams will host a tournament Tuesday and Wednesday with the visiting teams being Limestone, Shaw, Texas Woman's, and Findlay.

Schedule:

• Tuesday, December 18: Women
  • 1 p.m. - Florida Tech Panthers (2-6, 0-2 SSC) vs. Findlay Oilers (6-2, 4-2 GMW)
  • 3 p.m. - University of Tampa Spartans (7-2, 2-2 SSC) vs. Texa's Woman's Pioneers (5-3, 2-0 LSC)
• Tuesday, December 18: Men
  • 5 p.m. - Eckard College Tritions (7-2, 2-1 SSC) vs. Shaw University Bears (5-3, 1-1 CIAA)
  • 7 p.m. - University of Tampa Spartans (5-4, 1-2 SSC) vs. Limestone College Saints (6-4, 1-2 SAC)

• Wednesday, December 19: Women
  • 1 p.m. - Florida Tech Panthers (2-6, 0-2 SSC) vs. Texas Woman's Pioneers (5-3, 2-0 LSC)
  • 3 p.m. - University of Tampa Spartans (7-2, 2-1 SSC) vs. Findlay Oilers  (6-4, 4-2 GMW)
• Wednesday, December 19: Men
  • 5 p.m. - Eckerd College Tritions (7-2, 2-1 SSC) vs. Limestone College Saints (6-4, 1-2 SAC)
  • 7 p.m. - University of Tampa Spartans (5-4, 1-2 SSC) vs. Shaw University Bears (5-3, 1-1 CIAA)

Location: Bob Martinez Athletics Center | Tampa, Fla. | 400 N Blvd, Tampa, FL 33606

About Tampa (Women): The Spartans currently holds a 7-2 overall record and 2-1 conference record. Averaging 65.7 points a game as a team, their leading scorer is senior Staja Tyghter with 14 points per game. Trailing closely behind, with 11.9 and 11.0, is Dori Nagy and Emily Eshoo. The Spartans leader in minutes per game is Kris Nelson, a transfer from Temple College, with 35.6. Having played nine games so far into the season, Tampa's shooting percentages, both at the line and from the field, are decent. The percentage from the line is 71.0% and from the field is 48.8%. They are undefeated at home with a home record of 4-0.

About Florida Tech: Struggling early in the season, Florida Tech holds a 2-6 record winning their first two games against Clafin and LeMoyne-Owen. Most of their games played so far has been close games, with them coming up short. The Panthers leading scorer is senior Gracie Doane, averaging 12.4 points. Eight games into the season, Doane is one point shy of having 100 total points for this season. As a team, Florida Tech averages about 40 rebounds per game with their two leaders being Kailyn Ebb and Tereza Sedlakove. Led by head coach John Reynolds, the Florida Tech program has an overall record of 559-326. Coach Reynolds has been with the program for 33 years and is looking to continue positive winning.

About Findlay: Led by head coach Jim Wiedie, the Oilers record in the 2018-2019 season is 6-2. Last season, 2017-2018, the Oilers had a successful season, behind Wiedie, finishing with a record of 22-8. Anna Hintz, dropping 21.3 points per game, is their leading scorer. A senior from Ohio, Hintz was named first team all-Great Midwest in the 2017-2018 season. Hintz is shooting above 50 percent from both the three-point line and the field. Currently, on a three-game winning streak, the Oilers are averaging 77.4 points per game, 43.6 rebounds per games, and 9.4 steals per game.

About Texas Woman's: Averaging 65.3 points per game, the Pioneers have an overall record 5-3. Led by head coach, Beth Jillson, the Pioneers are on a 4 game winning streak. Their leading rebounder and scorer is Carissa Moody, from Plano, TX, averaging 16.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Still early into the season, Moody already has 131 points. The Pioneers biggest margin win so far was against Huston Tillotson on November 24, beating them by 35 points. The score was 83-48 and they finished with five players and double-digits. 

About Tampa (Men): Head coach Richard Shmidt recently reached 700 wins beating Florida Tech on the road. That game, Anthony Gamble had his biggest game yet, scoring 27 points. That was his fourth game dropping 20+ points. Gamble is also shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line, and averaging 33.6 minutes per game. Trailing right behind Gamble is Vincent Biffle, a junior from Indianapolis, scoring 12.6 points per game and grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. Biffle had a big night defensively when the Spartans played Auburn-Montgomery, recording five steals and seven rebounds. 

About Eckerd: 2018 SSC champions, Eckerd currently holds a 7-2 record. With 20.4 points per game, Drushaun McLaurn has been working hard on the defensive side of the ball with a total of 16 steals and five blocks so far in the season. The Trition second scoring leader is Myron Hagins with 12.3 points per game. His percentage with the field is pretty good around 57 percent. Their senior point guard, Marco Behori, does more than just scoring as well. Behori has a total of 91 points, 44 assists, and 24 steals into the season. As a team, Eckerd scores about 18 points off turnovers.

About Shaw: Members of the CIAA, Shaw has a record of 5-3. They average 83.8 points, 36.6 rebounds, and 12.8 assists per game. The Bear's leading scorer is Amir Hinton, dropping 33.3 points per game. He plays almost the entire game averaging 39.9 minutes a game and shooting 50.9 percent from the field. Head coach, Joel Hopkins, has been with the team going on five years now and is hoping to keep a positive winning record. Big man in the paint, Alex Owens grabs 6.7 rebounds and sends 1.3 shots back the other way per game.

About Limestone: Currently, on a two-game losing streak, Limestone record is 6-4. They've split their six games on the road winning three and losing three. Winning their first five games of the season, three of them went into overtime. The Saints averages 84.3 points, 35.4 rebounds, and 6.0 steals per game. Two players already have 160 points total on the season which is Kenny Hairston and T.J. Sheppard. They both also average 16 points per game.

Tickets: General admission ticket prices for all Tampa regular season athletic events are $5. Youth (ages 12 and under) are admitted free of charge. UT students and faculty/staff are admitted free with a valid Spartan ID.

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