FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12-20-05

Men's College Basketball: AASU 78, Florida Tech 71
Women's College Basketball: AASU 57, Florida Tech 55

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State swept a non-conference college basketball doubleheader from visiting Florida Tech on Tuesday evening at Alumni Arena. Both teams stretched their win streaks to three as the Pirate men outlasted the Panthers, 78-71, while the AASU women edged the Lady Panthers, 57-55.

The AASU men (7-2) scored the first nine points of the contest against Florida Tech (3-6) and took a seemingly comfortable 14-point lead into halftime, 40-26. The Pirates stretched that lead to 18 points in the second half, but then the Panthers started whittling away at the lead behind the play of guard E.J. Murray. Murray lit the Pirates up for 23 second-half points en route to 28 for the game, though AASU was able to counter down the stretch, not allowing the Florida Tech team to come within six points. A quartet of AASU players scored in double figures, led by junior Bryan Taylor’s third double-double of the season with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Jamaal Galloway added 15 points off the bench, while Tory Harris chipped in 12 points and Alex Carter contributed 10. Titas Vainauskas added a double-double for the Panthers with 12 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out.

The Lady Pirates (5-4) had a much closer contest as the game wasn’t decided until Jennifer Tamilio’s halfcourt shot as time expired fell short and AASU came away with the two-point win. AASU led by five with 1:25 left, 55-50, but Florida Tech’s Danielle Vaughan scored five points in the final minute and the Lady Pirates could only make two of four free throws down the stretch. Alicia Durham led all players for AASU with 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor, while Kaneetha Gordon added a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Vaughn led the Lady Panthers (6-4), who have dropped three straight, with 19 points.

Armstrong Atlantic breaks for the Christmas holidays and returns to action on Friday, December 30, at USC Aiken for a PBC doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.

-Pirates-