WINTER PARK, Fla.  – Rollins sophomore Kristina Mingos led the way for Rollins with 14 points, matching a career best, but the Rollins women’s basketball team fell to the Florida Tech Panthers 65-52 in Sunshine State Conference action, Wednesday evening at Warden Arena.

Rollins (18-8, 10-5 SSC) shot just 29.9 percent from the field, while the Panthers (14-12, 6-9) countered with a 38.5 shooting percentage.

Mingos’ 14-point performance marks the ninth time this season the Mission Hills, Kan., native registered double-digits in points.  Following Mingos in points, and rounding out the Tars in double-figures, was senior forward Brittainy Daiger with 13. 

The Tars received 29 points from its bench as they out-scored the Panthers 29-14 from the reserves.  However, Florida Tech’s Ashton McClairen finished with a game-best 17 points as she was 5-of-7 from 3-point range. 

Guards Lynisha Nelson and Kristen Dixon added 14 and 13 points, respectively.   On the boards, Briauna Hagins owned both sides of the glass as she finished with 16 rebounds.

Rollins scored the opening basket at the 18:06 mark to take a 2-0 lead, but the Panthers tied it nearly a minute later.  With 16:25 remaining in the first half, Florida tech received a lay-in from Dixon to take a two-point advantage, a lead they didn’t relinquish.
 
The Panthers built their lead to 10 on three occasions before halftime, the latest with 5:02 to go with a tally of 23-13.

The Tars battled back and cut the deficit in half before the Panthers increased their lead to six at intermission, 30-24.

The second half was dominated by the Panthers as Rollins struggled from the floor.  In the second half, the Tars were 1-of-11 from 3-point range and shot 36.8 percent from the free throw line.

Florida Tech took off building its lead back to double-digits right from the gate before the Tars were able to trim the Panther lead back to five with 13:14 remaining thanks to a Heidi Lacks free throw. 

A 13-1 run ensued as the Panthers built their lead to a game-high 17 points at the 8:31 mark.  Rollins didn’t get any closer than 11 the rest of the way, as the Panthers hung on to the 13-point victory.

The win for Florida Tech increases their winning streak to three, while the Tars had their four-game run snapped.  The last time Rollins lost a home contest to the Panthers on their was February 23, 2005 in 55-42 defeat, despite reaching the NCAA Tournament later that season.

Despite the loss, Rollins holds a one-game lead over the Barry Buccaneers heading into Saturday’s season-finale against Eckerd as they look to clinch the second-seed in the 2010 Sunshine State Conference Basketball Championship.  The Tritons and Tars are scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m. at Warden Arena in the Alfond Sports Center. 

Fans will be able to catch all of the action live on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com, and locally on 91.5 FM, WPRK.