KENNESAW, Ga. – A slow start plagued Florida Atlantic women’s basketball (3-2) as the Owls fell in a battle against the Kennesaw State Owls (2-3) on Saturday at KSU Convocation Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Kennesaw State jumped out to a 7-0 lead before Aniya got the Owls on the board off a jumper to cut the deficit to five, 7-2. However, the Owls just couldn’t get anything to fall during the first 10 minutes of play as Kennesaw State scored 11 unanswered through the Owls offensive struggles to hold an 18-2 lead after the first.
The Owls hold Kennesaw State to just four points in the second quarter, mounting a 15-4 run to cut the deficit to just five at the halftime break, 22-17.
Hubbard netted a free throw to open the third, but a 6-0 Kennesaw State run extended KSU’s lead back out to double-digits, 28-18. Janeta Rozentale connected on the Owls last two baskets of the period, keeping the Owls within seven, 35-28, but Kennesaw State scored on a buzzer beater to push the deficit back to nine entering the fourth, 37-28.
A pair of free throws from Hubbard and a Rozentale jumper brought the Owls back within five with 7:55 to play, 37-32. Kennesaw State went on another run over the following four minutes of clock, scoring seven unanswered to lead by 12, 44-32. Florida Atlantic attempted to rally scoring on two Hubbard free throws and a trio of baskets from Mya Perry, including one from beyond the arc, cutting the deficit back down to five, 46-41, but it just wasn’t enough as Kennesaw State outscored the Owls 11-2 to close out the contest, 57-43.
HEAD COACH JENNIFER SULLIVAN POSTGAME THOUGHTS
“Disappointing performance across the board. Got off to a slow start, but I knew we would hit shots. The fourth quarter rebounding was discouraging, but we got a lot of work to do. Credit to Kennesaw State. We just need to find a way to dig in. We were down a player, who was out of the game today. That did make a difference, but we need to find ways for other people to step up in those situations and capitalize in the fourth quarter when we make a run.”
NOTES AND TEAM STATS
- Aniya Hubbard and Mya Perry led the Owls against Kennesaw State.
- Hubbard scored a team-high 11 points, while also grabbing a team-leading seven boards, dishing out an assist, and collecting a steal.
- Perry scored 10 points, in addition to tallying a rebound, assist, and a steal.
- Rose Caverly and Devyn Scott both dished out a team-high two assists, and Dyllan Hanna led the Owls with two blocks.
- Florida Atlantic outscored Kennesaw State 15-4 in the second quarter.
UP NEXT
The Owls will next head to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday, Nov. 29 for an 8 p.m. ET tip on Big Ten Plus.
FOLLOW THE OWLS
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