Women’s basketball loses sixth in a row

By: Stephanie Gabriel / Staff Writer
The women’s basketball team fell to the Florida Atlantic University Owls (5-11, Sun Belt 2-4) 94-82 on Wednesday night in Boca Raton. The Owls were able to set a fast pace from the start of the game and even with some slight changes to the starting lineup and their highest scoring output of the season, FIU Golden Panthers (3-14, 1-5) couldn’t grab a lead throughout the whole game.

Guard Ashley Traugott got the first start of her career in which she scored 17 points, connecting on 5-of-9 3-pointers. Cherisse Buddy, playing in just her second game at FIU, finished with 18 points and 9 assists and guard Monika Bosilj led all scorers with 24 points.

The Owls outscored the Golden Panthers 46 to 20 in the paint. However, FIU did win the three-point shooting battle, making 11 shots total out of twenty one compared to seven for FAU, however; every other aspect of the game was dominated by the Owls.

“We knew it was going to be a fast paced game and our game plan was to stop that transition,” said FIU assistant coach Joanne Aluka-White. “We’re trying to find the chemistry, we’re trying to find that group that is going to take us further than what we are doing now.”

Florida Atlantic took the first 9-0 run at the start of the game. FIU wasn’t able to put up their first score until forward Elisa Carey connected on a jumper at the 16:45 mark. The Golden Panthers connected 7 of 11 3-pointers in the first half to try to get back into the swing, however; they also committed 13 turnovers alone in the first half. The Owls were able to benefit off of 14 fast-break points to make their lead 51-33 as they headed to the locker room.

“If we loose the ball we need to get back up the court, we’re losing games on our turnovers,” said Bosilj. “We are trying every single game to step up and get a ‘w’, we are just tired of losing.”
The second half proved to be much more efficient for FIU, they shot 63 percent compared to 46 percent in the first half. Back-to-back layup shots by point guard Michelle Gonzalez and Traugott cut the Owls’ lead to 18 at the 3:35 mark. Buddy was then fouled and she made two free throw shots to make the score 88-72 with three minutes left in regulation.

Although their final minutes were explosive compared to most of what fans have seen this season, the Golden Panthers were too far behind from the beginning to overtake the Owls. FAU guard Brittany Bowe made a layup with 1:38 left in the game and then followed up with a steal and two solid free-throw shots. Traugott responded with her fifth 3-pointer of the game, but with 12 seconds remaining the Golden Panthers would have to settle for their fifth sixth consecutive loss.

FIU will continue conference play against Denver this Saturday at U.S. Century Bank Arena, tip off is set for 5 p.m.