Ruston, LA - Women's Hoops will travel to Huntsville, Texas to take on Sam Houston State on February third at 3 p.m. ET.
Saturday, February 3rd at Sam Houston
*since 2006
The FIU Women's Basketball Team (15-6, 6-1 CUSA) overcame a seven-point deficit with just 1:10 remaining in the game to secure a hard-fought victory against Louisiana Tech on their home court, for a final score of 73-71. Tanajah Hayes led the charge with 14 points and four rebounds, both of which were a team high.
The opening quarter saw a balanced scoring effort from FIU, with forwards Courtney Prenger and Maria Torres leading the charge. FIU dominated the paint, tallying 10 points in the opening frame and outscoring the Bulldogs by 12 in this category for the entire game. Graduate student Prenger delivered 11 points and a steal in just 15 minutes, while senior Maria Torres showcased her versatility with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 23 minutes of play.
The Panthers continued to spread the scoring, with seven players putting up buckets in the second frame. Tanajah Hayes stood out with an impressive 8 points on perfect shooting from the field and beyond the arc. A well-timed 12-6 run in the closing minutes of the first half allowed FIU to seize the lead, bolstered by Kaliah Henderson's halftime buzzer-beater triple.
The intense competition persisted into the second half, with both teams exchanging baskets for the majority of the penultimate and final quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Lady Techsters mounted an 11-1 run, establishing a seven-point lead. FIU rallied behind Maria Torres's timely layup, cutting the deficit to five with just over a minute left. Strategic fouls and inefficient free-throw shooting by LA Tech, failed to secure a comfortable lead for the Techsters, and FIU capitalized on turnovers, culminating in a 6-0 run to clinch the victory.
Scouting Sam Houston
Sam Houston (6-13, 1-6 CUSA) currently place last in the conference. However, their 68.9 points per game is good for second in the conference, however, the Bearcats allow 71.8 points per game which is last in CUSA. Sam Houston is one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, placing first in the offensive rebounds per game (17.7) and combined team rebounds (40.2) but second to last in defensive rebounds (22.5).
They are led by senior Diana Rosenthal, leading the team in scoring with 12 points per game. The Bearcats are similar to the Panthers in the way that they disperse the scoring to all players, and do not have one dominant player leading the team. Sam Houston has four players scoring double-digits in points a game, and eight players playing 15+ minutes a game. Forward Raanee Smith is a force on the glass, grabbing 9.2 rebounds per game which is third in CUSA.
This will be the first meeting between Sam Houston and FIU.
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA
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