Middle Tennessee Tops Owls 83-73

Thursday, February 4

Boca Raton, FLA.

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

11-10, 3-7

Middle Tennessee

14-7, 8-2

Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic

2/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Feb. 4, 2016

Final Stats

BOCA RATON, Fla. â€" The Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team suffered an 83-73 loss at the hands of Middle Tennessee on Thursday night, despite seeing four players score double digits.

The Owls (11-10, 3-7 C-USA) were led by Sasha Cedeno, who shot 5-of-5 from the three-point line en route to 16 points. Sophomore Melinda Myers posted a career-high 15 points and grabbed a game-high six rebounds while Ali Gorrell (15) and Morgan Robinson (11) also reached double-digits.

The Blue Raiders (14-7, 8-2 C-USA) shot 59 percent from the field and 64 percent from beyond the arc.

Middle Tennessee started the game on a 10-1 run and never allowed the Owls to lead. FAU cut the advantage to three on a Robinson three-pointer at the 5:06 mark of the first before the Blue Raiders went on an 8-0 run to go up 20-9. A layup with five seconds to play in the frame gave MT a 28-16 lead at the first break with the help of 20 points in the paint.

Neither team scored for the first 3:26 of the second before Cedeno made her first three to help the Owls whittle the lead to seven. Again, however, MT crafted a run of 14-3 to take a lead of 42-23. After quick strikes by the Owls, MT's Ty Petty made a three at the buzzer to send the Blue Raiders to the locker room up 45-28.

FAU got the lead down to as few as 13 before MT rebuilt the advantage to go up by as many as 20 with 4:25 left in the third.

The Owls pieced together a 9-0 run in the fourth to pull within 11 with 4:37 to play, but the Blue Raider defense held fast. Nika Zyryanova hit a jumper with 57 seconds remaining for the final basket to finish the scoring at 83-73.

FAU will look to rebound against UAB on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. For tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visit FAUSports.com.