Women’s Basketball Defeats Siena by 44 in Home Opener

Tuesday, November 19

Boca Raton, FLA.

7 PM

Florida Atlantic

2-2

Siena

1-4

SIEW

Fla. Atlantic

Photo by: ©JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

11/19/2019 10:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team (2-2) pulled out a huge win in their home opener over Siena (1-4) Tuesday night. The 44-point feat is the largest margin of victory in the Jim Jabir era.

How It Was Decided

FAU got off to a hot start, as the score was 22-0 with 4:13 left in the first quarter. Astou Gaye scored five points in less than a minute off a 3-pointer and an easy layup. Juliette Gauthier would then heat up, hitting back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers in one minute and 29 seconds. Crystal Primm would top it off with a nice drive to the basket, while getting fouled in the process to add another three points. With a 26-4 score, business was booming for the Owls at Abessinio Court at FAU Arena.

Gauthier came up with the first points in the second quarter off a layup and following a Sienna turnover, Allie Tylka came up with the ball to score her first collegiate points. Tylka would later capitalize on a 3-pointer. Several freshmen lit it up in the second quarter including Alexa Zaph who hit a deep 3-pointer to put the Owls up 46-12 with 3:14 left in the half. The Owls would go into a locker room with a 54-17 lead.

Gaye opened up the half for the Owls with her second 3-pointer of the night. The Owls would then fall into a scoring drought for over six minutes, but Lotta Vehka-Aho broke it with a nice layup as time on the shot clock expired. FAU would go on an 8-0 run to end the quarter, and the Owls still led big, 65-36.

The Owls held the Saints scoreless for over half the fourth quarter, as they went on a 7-0 run. FAU would hold the Saints to just three points, making a new record for least amount of points scored by an opponent in a quarter and the Owls went on to win big, 83-39.

Game Notes

The Owls shot 55.3 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from the 3-point line in the first half. FAU would go on to shoot 47.6 percent from the field and 47.8 from beyond their arc, their best numbers this season
Gauthier had nothing short of a career night. The sophomore matched a career-high in points (24), as well as set a new career-high in 3-pointers with six, which is the fifth most in school history, and rebounds with 12. She led both sides in each of the three statistical categories
Vehka-Aho tallied 10 points, six boards, five assists and a steal
Abby Voss was the third Owl in double digits, as she put up 10 points, pulled down three boards and tallied three assists
Zaph marked the fourth Owl to reach double digit numbers in scoring, the first game where 4+ players reach double figures this season. The freshman had 10 points, a game-high six assists and five rebounds
Primm recorded nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals to make for a productive night
Gaye tallied eight points, two of which came from beyond the arc, in just 10 minutes
Tylka tallied seven points off the bench
Gaye and Nikola Ozola made their first career starts
FAU's 11 3-pointers marks a new season-high

With Coach Jabir

"It was a very nice win for a program that is very hungry for W's," said head coach Jim Jabir. "We have a long way to go to get to where we want to be. I appreciate the fans who came out to support us."

Up Next

FAU will finish out their roadstand on Thursday to face Little Rock at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 1-800-FAU-OWLS or visit FAUSports.com.

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