Florida Tech Caps 2024-25 Season with Stunning Comeback Victory Over Saint Leo
By Space Coast Daily // March 3, 2025
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Tech ended its 2024-25 season on a high note, pulling off an incredible rally to overcome a 24-point first-half deficit and defeat Saint Leo 75-65 on the road Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers were fueled by standout performances from Isaiah Edden, who scored a career-high 24 points, Max Polk’s 21 points, and a double-double from Logan Allen.
Final Score:
Florida Tech 75, Saint Leo 65
Records: Florida Tech (6-22, 3-17 SSC) | Saint Leo (10-18, 5-15 SSC)
Location: Marion Bowman Activities Center, Saint Leo, Fla.
First Half Recap
Saint Leo started the game strong, jumping out to a commanding 12-0 lead within the first four minutes. The Lions extended their advantage to 16 before Max Polk knocked down his first three-pointer of the game.
Midway through the half, Florida Tech trailed 35-11 after a dominant 10-0 run by the Lions. However, the Panthers refused to back down, closing the half with a 17-2 run over the final seven minutes. Led by seven points from Polk and four from Edden, Florida Tech trimmed the deficit to single digits, heading into halftime down 37-28.
Second Half Comeback
Florida Tech continued to chip away at the deficit after the break, but Saint Leo managed to maintain its lead. A three-pointer by Camden Cerese gave the Lions a 51-40 advantage with 12:27 remaining.
From there, the Panthers went to work. Over the next three and a half minutes, they outscored Saint Leo 8-2, with Logan Allen contributing four points during the stretch.
After Saint Leo pushed its lead back to nine at 57-48 with 7:36 left, Florida Tech responded with a decisive 12-0 run. Edden’s clutch three-pointer at the 5:39 mark gave the Panthers their first lead of the game. Allen added two threes, while Edden and Polk combined for six more points during the surge.
In a crucial moment with 4:23 remaining, Saint Leo’s Brady Corso was fouled on a three-point attempt and had a chance to tie the game at the free-throw line. He made the first two but missed the third, allowing Florida Tech to capitalize.
The Panthers sealed the victory with a dominant 15-6 closing run, with Edden scoring nine points down the stretch. Marko Malekinusic, Manos Dimou, and Polk also contributed key baskets to put the game out of reach.
Standout Performances
- Isaiah Edden: Career-high 24 points (6-of-11 FG, 4-of-6 3PT, 8-of-9 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
- Logan Allen: Third double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 14 rebounds, plus two blocks.
- Max Polk: 21 points (7-of-19 FG, 6-of-7 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He finished the season averaging 16.96 points per game, a significant jump from 5.9 the previous year.
Beyond the Box Score
- Florida Tech now holds a 49-67 all-time record against Saint Leo.
- Since 2014-15, Saint Leo has dominated the series 14-7.
- The Panthers improved to 14-32 at Saint Leo since 1980, securing just their fourth win at the Marion Bowman Center in the past 15 years.
- The 24-point comeback is Florida Tech’s largest in at least a decade. Their previous biggest rally was from 15 points down, last achieved in 2018 against Palm Beach Atlantic.
- Florida Tech capitalized on turnovers, scoring 22 points off 16 Saint Leo mistakes.
- The Panthers outrebounded the Lions 44-43, including an 11-10 edge in offensive boards, and controlled the paint with a 32-26 scoring advantage.
Florida Tech’s incredible resilience and second-half dominance capped off their season in thrilling fashion, leaving fans with a memorable finish to 2024-25.
