MIAMI - FIU Women's basketball will return home after its 1-1 road trip to open up conference play, taking on Louisiana Tech at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at 7 p.m on Thursday, Jan. 9.
Thursday, Jan. 9th vs LA Tech
The Panthers are coming off a big 80-79 victory over Western Kentucky on the road in their last matchup, with two guards in Angena Belloso and Parris Atkins putting up career-highs 23 points each.
FIU went down early to the Lady Hilltoppers, allowing 21 points over the first six minutes of the game and scoring just 10. The Panthers would storm back in the back half of the first quarter, going on an 11-5 run over the final four minutes of the frame, heading into the next quarter down 26-21.
FIU continued to play lockdown defense in the second period, holding Western Kentucky to just 27.8% shooting and taking the lead with 8:14 left before halftime, going into the break with a 44-39 advantage.
The third quarter proved to be a back and forth affair in the first few minutes, with WKU taking back the lead with 7:07 left in the frame before a 17-8 run saw FIU grow its lead to eight heading into the final minutes.
Western Kentucky would mount a comeback in the final minutes, but the Panther defense held strong, leading to their first victory of the new year and in CUSA-Play.
A pair of junior guards in Angena Belloso and Parris Atkins both led the scoring charge with 23 points a piece, with the Spanish-native Belloso also ending with a career-high eight assists to go along with six rebounds and two steals. Atkins added on nine rebounds and three steals to go along with her efficient 10-13 shooting night.
A homecoming for senior guard, Aaliyah Pitts, after spending the last two seasons at WKU, put up 12 points and 12 rebounds in the matchup, her second double-double of her career, with senior Isnelle Natabou the last Panther to score double-digits in the game with 10 points, eight rebounds and tied a season-high with three assists.
SCOUTING THE LADY TECHSTERS
LA Tech sees itself atop the CUSA standings with a 2-0 CUSA record and a 9-4 overall record, with their two wins coming against two above .500 teams in New Mexico State and UTEP. The Lady Techsters sit at sixth in the conference so far this season, scoring 67.2 points per game, while allowing 61.2 points per game, good for fourth in the conference. A good rebounding team, LA Tech is third in CUSA with 39.8 rebounds per game.
A well-rounded scoring team, LA Tech has three players averaging double-digits so far this season, led by guard Robyn Lee with 12.9 points per game, 11th in CUSA this season, also leading the team in steals per game with 1.7.
Jordan Marshall, a freshman forward from Little Rock, Arkansas, is not far behind Lee, scoring 12.6 points per game, good for 13th in the conference so far this season. Marshall also leads the Lady Techsters with 8.6 rebounds per game, fourth in CUSA this season. Guard Jianna Morris is the final Lady Techster scoring in double-digits this season with 11 points per game.
Last season, the Panthers swept LA Tech in a season for the first time in program history, first winning a 73-71 nailbiter in Ruston, Louisiana, before winning comfortably in Miami, 68-51. LA Tech currently leads the series 16-3 since their first meeting in 1999.
TICKETS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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