BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (4-8, 0-1 in Conference USA) could not pull out the win in their C-USA opener against Marshall (8-4, 3-0 in C-USA), as the Owls dropped the game, 66-51. The Owls led for 59% of the game and were tight on defense for three solid quarters. However, a 31-point fourth quarter by Marshall elevated the Herd past FAU. Sofia Galeron registered her second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
Both sides showed a great defensive presence in the opening minutes of the game. Amber Gaston scored the game’s first points with a 3-pointer at the 7:34 mark to get the offense started. FAU fell in a scoring drought for over two minutes until Galeron received a great pass from Janeta Rozentale under the basket for a layup. Kimia Carter then knocked down a triple to put the Owls up 8-6 at the media timeout. Marshall fell in a scoring drought for over two minutes but then the Herd cruised on a 6-0 run to go up 12-10. Galeron helped the Owls get out of the drought once again with a jumper to tie the game at 12 after one quarter of play.
2Q
The Owls started to heat it up from beyond the arc, as Alexa Zaph opened up the team’s scoring in the quarter with a 3-pointer and Galeron followed with back-to-back triples. FAU took the lead at 21-18 with 7:03 left in the half. Allie Tylka then checked into the game, her first time in nearly 11 months after recovering from an ACL injury, and knocked down two free throws, as the Owls extended their lead to five. Marshall fell in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes, but the Herd registered their first 3-pointer after starting the game 0-7 from beyond the arc. FAU took the 26-23 lead going into the locker room.
3Q
After Marshall opened up the game with a 3-pointer, Rita Pleskevich responded on the other end with a triple of her own for the Owls to retake the lead, 29-26. Marshall then put up a 4-0 run to tie the game up at 31 with 5:11 remaining in the quarter, but Gaston went to work under the basket, as she scored five unanswered points with the Owls leading 36-31 with under three left in quarter. The Herd then registered back-to-back baskets to come within one point, but a Pleskevich jumper elevated the Owls back ahead, 38-35.
4Q
Marshall scored back-to-back baskets to take the lead for the first time since early in the third, but a Rozentale 3-pointer put the Owls back up, 41-39. An 11-1 run, including back-to-back triples by Marshall, put the Herd up by six, 50-42, with under five to play. Marshall was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc in the fourth and went on to outscore the Owls 31-13 in the final quarter, as the Owls dropped the game, 66-51.
GAME NOTES
- Galeron led the way with her second consecutive double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds
- Gaston recorded her 11th double digit scoring game of the season, logging 10 points along with six boards
- Pleskevich was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field to tally nine points
- Rozentale recorded eight points, seven rebounds, three steals and one block
- Zaph registered seven points and four assists. She tallied her 100th career assist
- Tylka played her first game since Feb. 22, 2021
- All 11 active players saw time on the court
SULLIVAN’S STATEMENTS
Opening Statement:
“Obviously we were excited to play again, especially being off for such a long stretch, but it was disappointing because we did what we needed to for three quarters, it was just a matter of finishing off the game,” said head coach Jennifer Sullivan. “We talked to the girls about all of us finding ways to take things to another level, and the fourth quarter we needed it because they obviously outscored us 31-13 in the fourth. It’s disappointing, but we will learn from it and continue to get better.”
On Owls’ Defensive Effort:
“[Marshall] was in a situation where they were frustrated for three quarters, so someone else had to step up. We were trying to make Savannah Wheeler really work for it and [Brianah] Ferby stepped up in a big way, so we have to be able to handle it better when that happens.”
UP NEXT
The Owls will remain at home for two more games, as the squad hosts Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. and UAB on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased here for Middle Tennessee and here for UAB, or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
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