BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (3-6, 1-4 Conference USA) snapped a four-game losing streak to defeat FIU (5-6, 2-3 C-USA) Friday night, 73-69. FAU’s win marks the Owls’ first league win this season and three straight victories against the Panthers. Iggy Allen led all scorers with her third double-double of the season after capturing 24 points and 14 rebounds.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
FIU jumped out with a 5-2 lead, but a layup by Rita Pleskevich helped the Owls overtake a 10-7 lead halfway through the first quarter. FIU took advantage of an Owl turnover to register a 3-pointer to go up, 14-12. The Owls then rolled on a 9-0 run with Allen tallying seven of those nine points to take a 21-14 lead. Allen then hit a 3-pointer to capture her 16th points of the game after just nine minutes of play. FIU got a shot off before the buzzer, but the Owls still led, 26-16. FAU shot 64.7 percent in the first quarter.
2Q
FIU began the quarter on a 4-0 run until Allie Tylka clinched a layup and the foul to convert the 3-point play. FAU took advantage of six FIU turnovers and over a three-minute scoring drought for the Panthers to ride on a 7-0 run. The Owls hit a two-minute wall, but Amber Gaston broke a two-minute scoring drought with a layup. Gaston had seven of her 11 points in the second quarter. The Owls held onto a 41-29 lead at the half.
3Q
FIU opened up the quarter on an 13-2 run to creep up within one point, 43-42, with 5:13 left in the third. Pleskevich then made a jumper, but that cushion did not last for long, as FIU tied the game up at 45 with a 3-pointer. With 2:50 remaining, FIU took the lead for the first time since the first quarter with a layup, as FAU struggled to convert from the field and committed 10 fouls in the first five minutes. The Owls then started to find their stride in the final two minutes of the quarter, ending on a 9-1 run. Nikola Ozola’s second-chance layup pushed the Owls up, 55-50.
FAU had a tough first half of the third quarter, drawing 11 fouls in the frame.
4Q
Sofia Galeron opened up the quarter with a 3-pointer off an FIU turnover. FIU then went 3-for-3 from the field to trail by just two points, 61-59, with five minutes in the game. The Owls struggled to convert from the field, but Allen came up with layups on back-to-back FAU possessions, as the Owls maintained a 65-59 lead. With 2:38 left in the game, FIU was able to come within three points, but Ozola hit a clutch 3-pointer with 30 seconds in the game to make the score 70-64, FAU. The Owls finished on top, 73-69.
GAME NOTES
- FAU defeated FIU for the third consecutive game
- Allen tallied her third double-double of the season by matching a career-high 24 points, while pulling down 14 rebounds. She also added two assists and steals, a piece
- Gaston clinched her second consecutive double digit scoring game to tally 11 points and five rebounds in the start
- Pleskevich was just shy of double digits, logging nine points and five rebounds
- Janeta Rozentale registered nine points, nine boards and a career-high three blocks and three assists
- Ozola captured seven points and led the team with four assists
- Tylka put up seven points
- FAU outshot FIU, 46 percent to 34, while outrebounding the Panthers, 43-36
WITH COACH JABIR
On Allen:
“Her intensity is always something I’m captured by first,” said Jabir. “She is just so intense and I love her intensity and ability to score and rebound. She had a double-double, and I still think she can get better… and I hope we can all continue to improve as she gets better.”
Takeaways going into the next game:
“We don’t have a lot of time to implement a lot of things, and I’m hopeful that our intensity level can be maintained for the entirety of the game.”
Final Remarks:
“We have had adversity all year with COVID-19 and our injuries… I was really proud of the kids for sticking with it today. It was ugly, but we will take it.”
UP NEXT
FAU will finish up rivalry week at FIU on Saturday with 4 p.m. tip. The Owls will be back home to face Marshall on Friday, Jan. 29 (5 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 30 (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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