Davis and Thompson Rain Threes as Spartans Take Down no. 23 Eagles, 77-53

TAMPA, Fla. – The Spartans picked up a huge Sunshine State Conference win over No. 23-ranked Embry-Riddle Saturday afternoon at the Bob Martinez Center. Tampa was on fire offensively, shooting 74% from three-point range, highlighted by Olivia Davis' perfect 6-for-6 performance from beyond the arc.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: Tampa 77, Embry-Riddle 53
Records: Tampa (14–9, 9–5 SSC), Embry-Riddle (15–5, 10–4 SSC)
Location: Bob Martinez Center | Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half
Embry-Riddle won the opening tip, but Tampa's defense set the tone early. Ryan Franklin got the Spartans on the board first with a layup, followed by a three from Amy Thompson. The Eagles applied defensive pressure to keep things close early, but Giorgia Palmieri answered with a layup in the paint. Alanis Diaz got going with a three as the shot clock expired, while Brooklynn Butler and Olivia Davis each connected from deep. Tampa closed the first quarter with a 20–11 lead.

Faith Pickens opened the second quarter with an and-one, followed by another three from Davis. Butler worked the glass as Davis knocked down her third triple of the day to extend the Spartans' lead. Butler continued Tampa's three-point surge, while Embry-Riddle's defense forced turnovers in an effort to cut into the deficit. Pickens finished strong through traffic for a pair of layups, and Maddie O'Berski added one of her own. Pickens capped the half with a huge block, sending Tampa into the break with a 40–29 advantage.

Second Half
The Eagles struck first in the second half, but Amy Thompson answered with a three to open the scoring for Tampa. Pickens continued to battle inside through contact as Embry-Riddle worked to chip away at the lead. Palmieri added a three of her own, followed by Davis' fourth triple of the afternoon. Thompson drained another three, while Franklin went to work inside. Tampa's defensive pressure remained strong, and the Spartans closed the third quarter ahead 60–43.

Diaz opened the fourth with a layup as the Eagles continued to search for momentum. Thompson hit another big three, Palmieri came up with a key steal, and Davis buried her fifth three of the day. Tampa maintained its energy on both ends of the floor, with Davis finishing a perfect 6-for-6 from beyond the arc as the team shot 74% from three. Palmieri closed the game with 12 assists, as the Spartans secured a dominant 77–53 win over No. 23 Embry-Riddle.

INSIDE THE STATS

• Olivia Davis: 18 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl
• Amy Thompson: 14 pts, 3 reb
• Faith Pickens: 11 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast
• Alanis Diaz: 10 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl
• Ryan Franklin: 9 pts, 5 reb, 1 blk
• Giorgia Palmieri: 7 pts, 4 reb, 12 ast, 3 stl
• Brooklynn Butler: 6 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast

TEAM STATS

• Field Goal Percentage: 64% (27–42)
• Three-Point Percentage: 74% (14–19)
• Free Throws: 82% (9–11)
• Rebounds: 26
• Off the Bench: 19 (25%)
• Points in the Paint: 24 (31%)

UP NEXT

Tampa returns to the road Wednesday, February 11, at 5:30 p.m. to face the Barry Buccaneers, before returning to the Bob for a Valentine's Gameday matchup Saturday, February 14, at 2:00 p.m. against Rollins.