BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (4-5) will go into their 12-day break with momentum, as the team took down Florida Memorial, 71-63. FMU made the game interesting, as the Owls led by four with two minutes left, but Kynadi Kuykendoll was clutch from the charity stripe to seal the deal for the Owls. Four players scored in double digits, while Amber Gaston (19 points and 13 rebounds) and Janeta Rozentale (11 points and 16 rebounds) logged double-doubles.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
After the game was tied at two early on, the Owls cruised on an 8-0 run, which was sparked by a Rita Pleskevich 3-pointer. Gaston then came up with a putback basket to help the Owls elevate to a 12-4 lead with 5:36 left in the first quarter. Following the hot start, FAU found itself in a drought, going 0-for-6 from the field until Gaston knocked down a jumper. Gaston accounted for 13 of the Owls’ 20 points in the first quarter to lead 20-15.
2Q
Sofia Galeron made a nice layup to get the second half scoring started for FAU. The Owls were then held off the scoreboard for over three minutes until Galeron registered another layup. FAU was getting some help from the Lions who were held in a scoring drought for almost four minutes, but FMU began to light it up to lead by four points off a 7-0 run with 1:47 left in the half. This marked FMU’s first lead of the game. Zaph delivered the Owls’ final seven points of the half and tied the game up again at 34 off two free throws. She then beat the buzzer off a layup to put the Owls back ahead, 36-34.
3Q
Both sides were held off the scoreboard for two minutes. It then became the Rozentale show, as the redshirt junior made back-to-back layups while being fouled on the second one. She made the free throw and had 10 points and 14 rebounds with 5:54 remaining in the third. At the media timeout, FAU led 45-41. FAU fell in a scoring drought for over three minutes until Pleskevich caught a pass from Simona Henshaw in the lane, as the Owls went ahead 47-43 with 2:25 left. A technical foul by FMU put Pleskevich to the line to knock down two free throws and the Owls led 51-43 after three quarters.
4Q
FAU didn’t score for the opening two minutes, which allowed FMU to tie the game at 53. Zaph started to heat up, tallying four straight points to help FAU drive on an 8-0 run. At the media timeout, the Owls led 59-53. FAU broke a 2:10 scoring drought off a Gaston layup, as the senior had quite the night with 19 points and 13 boards. With 2:17 left in the game, things were still close, as FAU led by four points with 2:03 remaining. Kuykendoll was clutch from the charity stripe down the stretch, going 6-for-6 from the line late in the game to close the game out. FAU pulled out the win, 71-63.
GAME NOTES
- Gaston led the Owls with 19 points off 9-for-11 shooting and matched a career-high 13 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. She also delivered two blocks
- Rozentale tallied her third double-double of the season after scoring 11 points and pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds with two blocks
- Zaph followed with 13 points and three assists
- Pleskevich scored 11 points and added three rebounds
- Kuykendoll registered seven points and matched a career-high five boards
- Galeron tallied a career-high 11 boards with four assists
- FAU outrebounded FMU, 60-30, while the Owls had 21 offensive rebounds vs. FMU’s five
UP NEXT
FAU will host the Pre-Christmas Tournament from Dec. 19-20. The Owls play Richmond on Sunday, Dec. 19 at noon. Tickets for those games can be purchased here or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
