BOISE, Idaho – The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team (3-5) was edged out by Boise State (2-5) on Sunday afternoon, 76-64. FAU trailed by as many as 23 in the opening minutes of the third quarter, but cut the Broncos’ lead to four early in the fourth. The Owls were unable to keep the momentum rolling to overtake the lead, but fought hard until the final buzzer, as Janeta Rozentale led the way with 18 points.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
1Q
Kynadi Kuykendoll got the scoring started for the Owls with a 3-pointer, but BSU opened up the game shooting 4-for-4 from the field to lead 9-3 just three minutes into the game. FAU committed three turnovers in two minutes, which pushed the Broncos ahead 13-3 with 6:39 left in the frame. Rozentale made a nice drive to the basket for a layup and got fouled in the process. The redshirt junior converted the 3-point play, as the Owls trailed by 10 points with 2:18 left. BSU cruised on a 5-0 run, but Kuykndoll made a driving layup as time expired and the Owls trailed 27-14 after the first quarter.
2Q
Shots by Rozentale and Rita Pleskevich aided the Owls in a 4-0 run to start the quarter. The Owls then went cold from the field for over two minutes and the Broncos buried a trey to lead by 16 points. Amber Gaston started to heat it up with back-to-back baskets, and at the media timeout, BSU led 35-23. BSU fell in a scoring drought for three minutes and Sofia Galeron knocked down a long two-pointer to inch the Owls within 10. The Broncos then closed out the half on a 10-0 run, as the Owls lagged behind the Broncos, 45-25. BSU was able to get off to a great start in the game after outrebounding the Owls 23-12 and dominating inside with 24 points in the paint.
3Q
BSU started the second half on a 5-2 run, forcing FAU to take a timeout with 7:49 left in the frame and trailing 50-27. FAU went 0-for-4 from the field, but then began to find their stride, as Simona Henshaw knocked down a 3-pointer. The Broncos were held off the scoreboard for three minutes and FAU trailed 50-32 with 4:50 left in the third. Galeron’s 3-pointer helped the Owls initiate an 11-0 run to cut the Broncos’ lead to eight points following a Rozentale driving layup. BSU converted a 3-point play to end the quarter, and FAU trailed 56-45.
4Q
FAU continued to make things interesting to open up the quarter, registering a 7-0 run, which was capped off by a Rozentale 3-point play. The Owls trailed by four points, 56-52, with 8:01 in left in the game. From the remaining 2:19 in the third quarter to 8:01 left in the contest, FAU was rolling on an 18-3 run. After closing in on the Broncos, FAU went silent from the field with no field goals for four minutes. The Owls came within eight points, 67-59, with 2:24 left in the game, but BSU went 7-for-10 from the charity stripe down the stretch to close out the game. FAU fell 76-64 despite a strong second-half effort, which included outscoring BSU 39-31 and limiting turnovers to just three in the third and fourth quarters.
GAME NOTES
- Rozentale led the Owls with 18 points, which ties her career high. She went 6-for-14 from the field and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe, while adding four rebounds and two steals
- Gaston followed with a solid statline of 14 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks
- Galeron had a great game back at BSU where she began her collegiate basketball career. She tallied 12 points and seven rebounds
- Pleskevich logged seven points
- Kuykendoll registered seven points and matched a career-high six assists
- The Broncos committed 15 turnovers compared to the Owls’ 12
UP NEXT
FAU will return to Abessinio Court at FAU Arena to face Florida Memorial on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. Tickets for those games can be purchased here or by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
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