KENNESAW, Ga. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (4-3) took down Kennesaw State (2-6) on the road Thursday night, 63-45. The win broke the FAU Owls’ four-game losing skid, as well as marked the team’s first road win of the season. Alexa Zaph led the way with 17 points.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
FAU had quite the trouble scoring in the opening minutes of the game, starting things off 0-for-4 from the field until Alexa Zaph knocked down a 3-pointer. Zaph’s trey was the start of a 7-0 run for FAU to take a 7-4 lead at the media timeout. FAU went cold from the field, as the team did not convert a field goal for over three minutes. The FAU Owls then got out of the drought to spark an 8-0 run while forcing back-to-back KSU turnovers. FAU led 17-7 after one quarter.
KSU got in foul trouble early, committing nine team fouls, which allowed FAU to shoot 12 free throws in the first quarter.
2Q
The FAU Owls had no field goals in the opening four minutes of the quarter, but that wasn’t until Janeta Rozentale made a nice move to the basket for a layup and drew a foul in the process. She knocked down the free throw for the 3-point play and the FAU Owls led 22-13 at the media timeout. KSU fell in a scoring drought and committed three turnovers in three minutes, but they inched closer to FAU after burying their first two 3-pointers of the game. On FAU’s final possession of the half, the team drew up a great play, which allowed Zaph to be open under the basket for a layup. The FAU Owls led 28-20 going into the intermission.
3Q
FAU cruised on a 6-0 run, which was capped off by a 3-point play by Amber Gaston. The FAU Owls led 35-22 with 7:27 left in the quarter. KSU then spurred on a 10-2 run to inch within five points of FAU with 3:48 remaining in the frame. Rita Pleskevich then hit a big 3-pointer to elevate FAU’s lead back to double digits and a Zaph trey off a fast break put the FAU Owls ahead by 11 points, 47-36. KSU then got on the board off a layup on their last possession of the frame. FAU led 47-38 going into the final 10 minutes of the game.
4Q
Neither side scored until under eight minutes left in the game, as Rozenale made a second-chance basket to put FAU ahead, 49-39. Rozentale’s layup was a part of FAU beginning the quarter going 3-for-3 from the field. FAU went into the scoring drought for three minutes, but Zaph buried her third 3-pointer of the game, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc tonight. FAU led 56-45, as KSU took a timeout. The fourth quarter was all FAU, as the FAU Owls finished the game on a 10-0 run, while outscoring KSU, 16-7 in the frame. FAU earned its first road win of the year off a 63-45 feat.
GAME NOTES
- Zaph led FAU with 17 points, as she shot a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point land and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. She added four rebounds
- Gaston followed with 13 points, six boards, two blocks and three steals. She tallied her seventh consecutive doble-digit scoring game
- Pleskevich logged seven points, seven boards and four assists
- Rozentale produced nine points and matched a career-high 13 rebounds. She also matched a career-high three blocks, the third 3+ block game of her career
- FAU held its opponent to less than 50 points for the second time this season
- The FAU Owls held KSU to 29% shooting from the field and 15.8% (18-for-62) from beyond the arc (3-for-19)
- FAU tallied a season-high seven blocks
- Head coach Jennifer Sullivan captured her first road win as a collegiate head coach
SULLY’S STATEMENTS
“I could not be prouder of this teams fight on the road,” said Sullivan. “We’re coming off some heartbreaking losses, but the team continued to show up every day and continues to strive get better. You always have a chance with a team like that.”
UP NEXT
FAU will travel across the country to Boise State to face the Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 5 with a 4 p.m. Eastern tip. The team will return to Abessinio Court at FAU Arena to face Florida Memorial on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. Tickets for those games can be purchased here or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
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