CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (10-10, 8-8 in Conference USA) dropped the regular season closer at Charlotte (10-9, 8-5 C-USA) Saturday afternoon, 83-73. FAU came within five points of Charlotte with six minutes remaining in the contest, but was unable to take over the lead. Four Owls reached double digits in scoring in the loss.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
FAU took some time to find its shot, as Charlotte went on a 6-2 run to open up the game. The Owls then started to find its groove to go on an 11-2 run capped off by an Alexa Zaph 3-pointer. Charlotte responded the other end with a 3-pointer, but Zaph got a layup off prior to the media timeout, as the Owls led 15-11 with 3:59 left in the first frame. The Owls were 6-for-7 from the field, but committed three turnovers in a little over a minute. Gaye then made a jumper in the paint with 42 seconds left, as the Owls led, 22-19 after the first quarter.
2Q
Charlotte tied the game in the opening minute of the game, but Rita Pleskevich tallied back-to-back 3-pointers in 13 seconds, with the second trey being set up after a Zaph steal. FAU led 28-22 with 9:08 remaining in the first half. After Pleskevich’s third 3-pointer in the second quarter, the 49ers went on a 9-0 run in just over one minute to overtake the lead, 36-33 halfway through the quarter. FAU then struggled to connect from the field, going 1-for-7 until Astou Gaye tied the game up at 40 off a 3-pointer with two minutes left to play. The lead changed three times, but then Charlotte finished the quarter with four unanswered points, as the Owls fell behind, 49-45.
3Q
The 49ers began the third quarter on a 10-2 run in the first three minutes, as FAU trailed, 57-47. FAU had no field goals for three minutes until Iggy Allen hit a 3-point jumper to break the Owls’ drought. FAU then cut the Charlotte lead to three after Gaye captured a 3-pointer with 2:49 remaining in the third. The 49ers finished the quarter on a 4-0 run, and FAU fell behind, 67-60.
4Q
Charlotte opened up the quarter on a 4-0 run, but Allen knocked down a 3-pointer to get FAU back within seven. Amber Gaston then followed with a layup, as the Owls trailed 71-66 with 6:12 left in the game. That was the closest the Owls would get to overtaking the lead, as Charlotte ended the game on a 12-7 run, while FAU kept finding themselves in scoring droughts.
GAME NOTES
- Allen finished just shy of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds along with two steals. She notched double digits in scoring in all 20 regular season games
- Gaye followed with 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks
- Rozentale earned her fourth double-double of the year off 13 points and 10 boards, as well as two assists
- Pleskevich ended with 12 points and three assists
- Zaph had another solid game with seven points and five assists. The game marked her fourth consecutive game with 5+ assists
- The Owls outrebounded the 49ers for the second straight day, 37-33. FAU was also hot on the offensive glass, taking down 16 offensive rebounds compared to Charlotte’s six
- FAU nailed 11 3-pointers, their fourth consecutive game with 10+ treys
UP NEXT
The Owls will play at the 2021 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women’s Championships in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday. The full bracket with FAU’s first-round opponent and game time will be released tonight.
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