Panthers fall on the road to UTSA

By: D’Joumbarey Moreau / Staff Writer

The FIU women’s basketball team record dropped to 1-2 as they fell to UTSA 61-54 at the Convocation Center on Nov. 18.

Learning from their previous game, the Panthers did a great job containing the three pointer as UTSA shot 0-7 from the three-point line. While both teams were struggling most of the night to find a rhythm from beyond the arc, Zsofia Labady made the game’s only three-pointer which gave FIU a 51-50 lead with less than four minutes in action.

The Roadrunners though would respond quickly. Soon after UTSA went on a 10-4 run to close out the game.

While the Panthers shot 42.3 percent from the floor, they held UTSA to 32.6 percent, making five of 25 shots in the second half. But UTSA didn’t  need to shoot well, attempting 28 of their 44 free throw attempts in the second half. FIU found themselves in a tight bind because they could not keep their opponent in from the free throw line.

UTSA scored 31 points from the charity stripe, which gave the Roadrunners a huge advantage over FIU. The Panthers only took 11 shots from the free throw line, making nine of them.

Senior Fanni Hutlassa was the leading scorer for FIU with 18 points and nine rebounds despite only playing in limited minutes. Hutlassa and teammate Jerica Coley, who scored 14 points, would both foul out.

Also plagued by foul trouble was center Finda Mansare who had eight points and only five rebounds.

Once again leading in the turnover category with 22, FIU continually shot themselves in the foot while the Roadrunners forced twelve steals and capitalized off the Panthers turnovers scoring 25 points.

UTSA was more aggressive as they also doubled FIU in second-chance opportunities, scoring 12 points on those chances compared to FIU’s six.

The Panthers will return to some home cooking inside of the U.S. Century Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 21 when they match up against the Florida A&M Rattlers. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.