MIAMI, Fla. – With only eight players available, the FIU Women's basketball team came out victorious against Kennesaw State University Sunday afternoon at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
 
It was all hands on deck in this contest for the Panthers as four players finished in double figure points. Junior forward Ajae Yoakum scored 18 points and was tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight. Yoakum led FIU in scoring for the second game in a row.
 
The Panthers won the battle on the boards outrebounding the Owls 42-27 leading to 17 second chance points for FIU.
 
Another key difference in this game was the Panthers' success at the charity stripe. FIU constantly attacked the rim and was rewarded 26 trips to the foul line knocking down 21 compared to the Owls shooting 7-12.
 
Junior forward Sariana Rodriguez Camacho continues to hit shots from behind the arc at a high rate. In her last two games, she is 8-19 from three-point range and today against the Owls she made 4-8.
 
Rodriguez was second on the team with 14 points against KSU and this is the third game in a row where she reaches double digit points.

 Sophomore guard Zaida Gonzalez was a spark off the Panthers bench. In 21 minutes, Gonzalez recorded 11 points, two rebounds and two assists. Gonzalez is averaging 13 points over the last two games as one of the primary reserve options for Head Coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley.
 
Junior forward Maria Torres was a force in the paint against the Owls. Torres was third on the team with 12 points scoring all her points around the rim and paced the Panthers with eight rebounds.
 
The Panthers held the lead for 37 minutes and 13 seconds of this game. FIU had control in the first half and had a 21-12 lead after the first quarter. The Owls would chip away at FIU's lead outscoring the Panthers 19-14 in the second quarter and trailed by four points, 35-31, going into halftime.
 
FIU's offense staggered a bit to start the second half which led to KSU taking their first and only lead of the game, 43-41, at the 5:42 mark in the third quarter.
 
The lead did not last very long for the Owls however, as FIU outscored KSU 13-6 the remainder of the quarter. The Panthers closed out the Owls in the fourth quarter limiting them to just 14 points on 28.6% shooting from the field.

 
UP NEXT
The Panthers will have a nine day stretch of no games until they return to action Tuesday, Dec. 13 when they take on in-state rival, Florida Atlantic University. This will be the first Conference USA game this season for the Panthers and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at FAU Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+
 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit HERE
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@fiuwbb), Twitter (@FIUWBB), and Facebook (@FIUWBasketball) for all the latest Women's Basketball news. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.  
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