Even though the Wharton Wildcats have not done well against the Tampa Bay Tech Titans recently (they were 0-5 in their previous five matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Wharton strolled past Tampa Bay Tech with points to spare, taking the game 49-33. Given Wharton's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 74th, while Tampa Bay Tech is ranked 353rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Wharton's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Janyia Scott, who scored 11 points along with four steals. Tamara Bryant was another key contributor, scoring 11 points.
Tampa Bay Tech's loss came despite strong showings from Azjannie Culberth and Breanna Hartley. Culberth dropped a double-double on 13 points and ten rebounds, while Hartley scored ten points along with six rebounds. Hartley scored a full 30.3% of Tampa Bay Tech's points, the third time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points.
Even though they lost, Tampa Bay Tech were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wharton only pulled down nine offensive rebounds.
Wharton pushed their record up to 2-0 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.5 points per game. As for Tampa Bay Tech, they still haven't won a game yet this season and fell to 0-3.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Wharton will take on Chamberlain at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Chamberlain comes in on a streak of failing to score more than 23 points in their last four games, a trend the team is of course eager to reverse. As for Tampa Bay Tech, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Freedom at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Freedom is still on the hunt for that elusive first 'W'.
