Allen Drops 35 in Loss at WKU

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (3-8, 1-6 Conference USA) fell short of WKU (6-9, 5-4 C-USA), 71-64 Friday night. Despite the loss in the Owls’ first game in over two weeks, Iggy Allen logged a career-high 35 points and 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. The Owls will try to bounce back in the second game of the series tomorrow at 7 p.m. EST.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED

1Q
The Owls came out with a vengeance, beginning the game on an 11-1 run thanks to Allie Tylka’s five points and Iggy Allen’s four. Rita Pleskevich found Amber Gaston under the basket for a layup to stretch the Owl lead up to 10 before WKU took a timeout. FAU took advantage of WKU’s six-minute scoring drought and led 21-3 with 2:47 left in the quarter. FAU then fell into a scoring drought for the final two minutes, but still had a 21-8 advantage after the first quarter.

2Q
Allen broke the FAU scoring drought with a second-chance layup. The Lady Toppers came within six points, but Pleskevich stretched the lead out to eight with a nice look under the basket. The Lady Toppers then went on a 9-1 run and tied the game up with a layup. FAU was unable to connect with the basket for over three minutes remaining in the half, leaving the game tied at 28, apiece.

3Q
WKU led FAU for the first time since having a 1-0 lead early in the first. The Lady Toppers took a 12-7 advantage in the first five minutes of the quarter, and at the media timeout, FAU trailed 40-35. Allen helped the Owls creep within one point, 40-39 with 2:38 remaining, but the Lady Toppers ended the quarter on a 7-2 run to lead 47-42.

4Q
The Owls inched within one point off a Nikola Ozola layup and a Janeta Rozentale 3-pointer. WKU went on a 7-3 run, but Rozentale knocked down her second 3-pointer of the night, as the Owls trailed 55-53. The Lady Toppers hit a 3-pointer with four minutes left to take a six-point lead, but the Owls cut the Lady Topper lead by four off a second-chance layup from Gaston. WKU took a 64-57 edge with 2:18 remaining, and while an Allen layup got the Owls within four points with 29 seconds left, the Owls fell, 71-64.

GAME NOTES

  • Allen achieved a career night, tallying a career-high 35 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, two assists and a career-high three blocks. Her double-double was the fifth of her career
  • Rozentale followed with eight points, seven boards and two assists
  • Alexa Zaph ended the night with six points, four boards and three steals
  • Gaston pulled down five boards and matched a career-high four blocks, marking her fifth career game with 3+ swats
  • Tylka had five points and matched a career-high three takeaways
  • FAU tallied a season-high nine blocks along with 23 offensive boards, which is the second most of the season

UP NEXT
FAU wraps up the series at WKU tomorrow at 7 p.m. Eastern. The Owls return to Abessinio Court at FAU Arena to face UTSA on Friday, Feb. 12 (5 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb. 13 (2 p.m.). 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 tickets@fau.edu.

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