MIAMI – The FIU women's basketball team (11-16, 7-9 CUSA) earned their first sweep of the season, edging out Jacksonville State (10-18, 4-13 CUSA) in a 74-72 victory on the road.
With the game tied and just eight seconds remaining, Angena Belloso found a lane to the basket, driving for an acrobatic layup that gave the Panthers the lead with 1.5 seconds left. FIU held strong on defense, denying Jacksonville State's last-second attempt and securing the win in their final road game of the regular season.
Both teams came out strong, with Jacksonville State shooting 66% to score 23 points, while FIU shot 61.5% and put up 18 points. The Panthers trailed by five points heading into the second quarter.
FIU kept their shooting hot in the second, scoring 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting while holding the Gamecocks to just 14 points on 33% shooting. Senior Isnelle Natabou was dominant in the quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Natabou finished with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, along with seven rebounds and one block. FIU took a 38-37 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was tightly contested, with FIU scoring 14 points to Jacksonville State's 15. The teams entered the final quarter tied at 52.
The fourth quarter became an offensive battle, with neither team letting up. Junior Angena Belloso led the Panthers with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including the game-winning layup in the final seconds. She finished the game with 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Senior Lucia Fleta Robles also played a key role, scoring 17 points, hitting three triples, and dishing out a team-high six assists. Sophomore Judit Valero was the final Panther to score in double figures, contributing 10 points, three rebounds, and one assist.
This was FIU's first road victory since their 80-79 win over Western Kentucky in the opening game of conference play. With two regular-season games remaining, the Panthers sit in sixth place in the conference and are aiming to stay above the 7-10 threshold to secure a first-round bye in the CUSA tournament.
UP NEXT
FIU will play Western Kentucky at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
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 @FIUAthletics on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
