Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
5-3
Montana
6-4
Women's Basketball Falls 83-69 at Montana
12/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MISSOULA, Mont. â€" A 15-6 run early in the third quarter propelled Montana to an 83-69 victory over the Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team on Saturday in the second game of the Lady Griz Classic.
"Our shots didn't fall in the first half, but I thought we competed," FAU Head Coach Kellie Lewis-Jay said. "I was very happy with our effort defensively. They hit some shots and we didn't capitalize on some of the points that we should have. But overall, I'll take that effort any day."
The Owls (5-3) placed four players in double-digit scoring, led by Junior Kat Wright's 17-point performance, but couldn't keep up with the hot-shooting Lady Griz (6-4) in the second half.
Montana shot better than 51 percent in the first half to FAU's 31 percent as both teams shot well from beyond the arc. The Owls tallied 14 three-pointers, tying a season high, to Montana's nine.
Wright and sophomore Sasha Cedeno combined for 11 of FAU's first 12 points before a Malia Kency three-pointer at the 2:46 mark of the first quarter put the Owls up 15-13 â€" FAU's final lead of the game.
A 13-2 run in the second quarter put Montana up by 13 before Kency buried her second three-pointer of the contest. FAU would cut the lead down to five on a Cedeno three-pointer before the Lady Griz answered with three seconds left to send the game to halftime at 40-32 Montana.
The Owls made six more three-pointers in the third, but Montana continued the high-percentage night to go ahead by as many as 16 points.
Another Kency three-pointer early in the fourth cut the advantage to 67-61 before a 12-1 Montana run gave the Lady Griz a game-high lead at 79-62. Sophomore Danneal Ford made a jumper in the closing seconds to end the scoring at 83-69.
Ali Gorrell tallied 14 points while Cedeno earned 13 and Kency finished with 12.
FAU takes on Tennessee State at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 20 in the finale. The Owls return home to host the FAU Holiday Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30. For tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visit FAUSports.com.
