MIAMI (Jan. 13, 2022) – FIU women's hoops fell in a close contest to UAB on Thursday night at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, as the Blazers defeated the Panthers by a score of 65-56.

The Panthers' record now stands at 8-5 on the season and 0-2 in C-USA play, while the Blazers improve to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the league.

Kyla Nelson led FIU offensively in the contest, tying a season-high output of 26 points while shooting a hot 9-for-17 on field goal attempts and 4-for-9 from beyond the arc.

On the defensive end, the Panthers forced a total of 17 UAB turnovers while holding the Blazers below their per-game scoring average.

The Blue & Gold managed to tie the game on three separate occasions in the opening period yet trailed 12-15 heading into the second frame.

Down by nine points at the half, FIU regrouped after the break and saw its best performance in the third quarter.

The Panthers came out of the locker room on a 6-0 run and went on to outscore the Blazers by a margin of 16-13 in the third period. FIU ramped up the defensive effort and held UAB to only 30 percent shooting from the floor in the frame, cutting the deficit to 40-46 heading into the final quarter.

The Panthers saw themselves within three points of the Blazers early in the fourth quarter and were later down by only 49-53 with 5:14 remaining in the contest. Nelson scored 14 of her 26 points in the final 10 minutes as the sharpshooting forward attempted to fuel the Panther comeback, but the Blue & Gold was unable to stymie UAB's offense enough to seize the lead.

Tanajah Hayes led FIU with six rebounds, four steals, and three assists in the contest.

Zaida Gonzalez was inserted into the starting lineup and played efficiently with nine points on 4-for-7 shooting from the field.

Maria Torres added a block in the game, adding to her team-leading total of 15.

UP NEXT
FIU is back in action at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center this Saturday, Jan. 15, when the Panthers welcome Middle Tennessee. Tipoff against the Blue Raiders is scheduled for Noon ET.

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For tickets to all upcoming women's basketball home games, click here.

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