DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Sometimes getting into the comfortable surroundings of home can make all the difference, and the Lady Wildcats played like the home team in tonight's matchup with the Owls of Florida Atlantic University. B-CU came off a five-game road swing in which they lost each game before returning home to face the Sun Belt Conference foe. B-CU built up a solid lead in the first half, battled back from a tough FAU rally, and ultimately created enough space to come out on top 66-61.
The game started out a bit shaky for both teams, as neither offense could score for the first 4:16 of the half. Although the Owls earned the first basket, the joy was short lived, as B-CU shocked FAU with an 11-0 run to take a nine-point lead. The scoring was slow-played by both teams, with only 14 total points on the board at the midpoint of the half. As the half wound down, B-CU continued scoring at a steady pace, FAU picked up their tempo and began to rally. The owls tied the game with just under a minute in the half, and then pushed on top, heading into the locker room with FAU leading 24-21.
Although it was a scary time for B-CU, allowing the comeback before half, they refocused in the locker room, and came out a different team in the second half. At first FAU looked like they may just take the upper hand, but the Lady Wildcats showed that they came to fight, as the lead changed five times in the first 3:17 of the second half. However, with 16:43 remaining, the Lady Wildcats claimed their lead and momentum, never looking back.
During the five minutes which would ultimately determine the outcome of the game, B-CU launched an 18-2 scoring to give the Lady Wildcats more than enough breathing room and confidence to play with the lead. The Lady Wildcats hit their largest lead of the night at 18 points, with just over seven minutes on the clock, before FAU took their shot at the rally.
The final minutes came too close for comfort at times, as FAU made up a lot of ground, narrowing the gap to single digits. B-CU was splitting free throw sets and FAU was making steals and fast break scores, making the game more tense than most Wildcat fans were hoping. However, the Owls could only bring the gap to five points, where the Lady Wildcats held them off and overcame FAU's rally to win 66-61.
Florida Atlantic got quite a good showing out of their starting guards, Lyrell Barfield (14 points) and Brittany Bowe (12 points), who combined to take charge of the Owl offense. Jessica Knurick came up big on the boards, collecting 13 rebounds, but Carla Stubbs made a huge dent, snagging consecutive defensive rebounds off missed free throws in the final moments of the game.
The Lady Wildcats finished big in the frontcourt, scoring 30 points in the paint as a team, with three post players combining for 38 points. Sarah Bolden and Porche Anderson led the charge offensively for B-CU, with each scoring 14 points apiece, followed by Euneshia Proctor came up big, notching a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds.
The Lady Wildcats came away big on the boards, outrebounding FAU 49-38, securing a season high for the team. Although they lessened the turnovers count, FAU still forced some crucial giveaways late in the game that helped to facilitate the rally. On the other hand, B-CU converted around half of the FAU turnovers into points, scoring 15 off turnovers.
"Tonight's win was a great win for the Lady Wildcats. We had been on the road for about a month, and we took some battles and some losses," commented Head Coach Vanessa Inge, on the ups and downs of this season. "Last week we lost [to Eastern Kentucky in the final seconds], but we won because that night's lesson carried over and was how we secured tonight's victory."
During the numerous timeouts late in the game, Inge took the opportunity to not only strategize, but also to put her players in the right mindset to finish off the Owls, saying that she told the Lady Wildcats, "we have to play not in panic mode, they have to chase us and come at us...but out biggest thing was to protect the ball and finish at the free throw line."
Although the Lady Wildcats did struggle at the line in closing moments of the game, shooting 100 percent in the first half, but closing out the game shooting 13-22 (59.1 percent) in the second half, including the front ends of several one and ones in the closing moments. This will obviously be a point of steady emphasis for the coaching staff in the progressive improvement this season.
Up next for the Lady Wildcats stands an important challenge, as they face off in the initial conference matchup with Southern Division rival Florida A&M. The Lady Rattlers (4-2) are fresh off a victory over cross-town SEC foe, Florida, who they defeated 72-71 on Monday night. The Lady Wildcats feel they are back on the right track and are looking forward to the matchup, Saturday at the Ocean Center.
"This was a big confidence booster for us, so we can go into the game [against Florida A&M] and remember the lessons that will carry over;" said Inge, "sustaining, playing hard for forty minutes, rebounding well, and shooting the ball with confidence."
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