MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (2-4, 0-2 C-USA) fell to Middle Tennessee (4-3, 2-0 C-USA) in the second game of the series, 66-64. With the game tied at 64 a piece, MT capitalized on a game-winning basket with 0.9 seconds remaining on the clock.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
The Owls started out fast, getting work done effectively on both sides of the ball. Iggy Allen and Alexa Zaph stole the ball and took it to the other end for layups on back-to-back possessions to help the Owls jump out to an early 6-0 lead. FAU would then initiate a 10-0 run over three minutes to take an 18-8 lead with 2:08 left in the frame. FAU shot 47.6 percent from the field, was hot off the glass with seven offensive rebounds and committed just two turnovers.
2Q
FAU was outscored 18-8 in the second quarter. MT would go on a 13-2 run to go ahead by one point, 30-29, with 1:09 remaining in the half. FAU regained the lead courtesy of an Allen layup off a fastbreak with 28 seconds in the half, and FAU held onto a 31-30 advantage.
3Q
Rita Pleskevich tallied two 3-pointers in a minute of play, as the Owls hung onto a 37-35 lead with 7:45 left in the frame. The redshirt junior had eight of her career-high 17 points in the third. FAU went ahead by six points after Sofia Galeron’s second 3-poiner with under four minutes to play, but MT ended the quarter on a 9-3 run. MT capitalized on an FAU turnover with a layup to tie the game up at 48 a piece.
4Q
FAU came out swinging in the fourth quarter, going on a 10-0 run to go ahead 58-48. MT creeped on FAU, scoring eight unanswered points, 58-56. The Owls lengthened the lead to five off a Zaph 3-pointer, but the Lady Raiders answered with a 3-pointer and two free throws to tie the game at 64. With 23 seconds left, MT’s Anastasia Hayes found Deja Cage under the basket for a layup with 0.9 seconds on the clock. FAU dropped its second consecutive contest, 66-64.
GAME NOTES
- Pleskevich led the way with career highs in points (18), rebounds (eight) and 3-pointers (four)
- Allen tallied 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a career-high four steals
- Zaph logged 10 points and four rebounds
- Galeron scored eight points off the bench, while adding three rebounds and three assists
- Nikola Ozola registered five points, four boards and three assists off the bench
UP NEXT
FAU’s first home C-USA opening series will take place next Friday Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. against Old Dominion. The series will wrap up on Saturday with a 2 p.m. tipoff. Tickets may be purchased here. All tickets for home games will be delivered digitally on individual mobile devices. Season tickets may be purchased through the ticket office by calling 1-800-FAU-OWLS (866-328-6957) or emailing [email protected].
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