Florida Atlantic University Athletics
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
One Week Out from 2020-21 Campaign
11/23/2020 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University women's basketball team is looking to make great strides during the 2020-21 season, which is set to begin one week from today. Head coach Jim Jabir is in his fourth season at the helm and believes this could be a turning point year for the Owls.
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"I really like our team," said Jabir. "I came here to build a championship [program] and have not been really happy with our progress so far, but I really like this team and I think we are going to make a huge jump and surprise a lot of people."
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The Owls finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 13-17 record, along with a 7-11 mark in Conference USA play. FAU tied for eighth in the conference standings and received the No. 10 seed to the C-USA Tournament. This was a significant jump from the prior season, where FAU finished in 12th with a 5-25 record (2-14 C-USA).
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Last season, FAU showed teams had to bring their A-game when they faced them. Crystal Primm became Jabir's first C-USA Player of the Week, and the first Owl to earn the award from the conference since the 2015-16 season. Rookie Lotta Vehka-Aho was a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week, becoming a unanimous choice during the Rice and North Texas series, where she averaged 24.5 points, six boards and 3.5 assists and steals per game.
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FAU put a halt to losing streaks against several teams. The Owls took down Little Rock for the first time in school history after previously going 0-10 against the Trojans. In C-USA play, the Owls broke a four-game losing skid both against Charlotte and North Texas, beating each for the first time since 2015 and 2016, respectively. FAU also beat FIU on the road in Miami for the first time since 2015.
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The Owls were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll. Jabir is not too happy with that placement and hopes to surprise a lot of people.
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"Our new players are really good and our old, returning players have really improved," said Jabir. "A lot of the teams we actually beat for the first time in a while last year, so we hope to use that momentum. I know we are better than a 10th place team in the league and I just hope we can remain healthy and have a full season."
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Iggy Allen, a graduate transfer from Pompano Beach, Florida, is a new addition who brings experience and talent to the team. Allen played 12 games at Miami last season, and started her collegiate career at Mississippi State, where she played 20 games to help the Bulldogs reach the NCAA Championship title game in 2017.
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"She is a really talented player, who can do a lot of things," said Jabir about Allen. "She shoots the three, she can get to the rim, she is super athletic and she has a heart that is just huge. She will beat the crap out of you on the court just because she's tough. I want our team to take on her personality because she is just the toughest kid I have ever been around."
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Allen didn't have a normal welcome when she came on campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The adjustment to a new team was different than what she was used to, but everything clicked once she met the other players.
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"It is definitely different with the pandemic going on," said Allen. "Upon arrival, I wasn't able to meet everyone since some were quarantining. When they all came back it was all a quick meet-and-greet and we all hit it off."
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Out of Dillard High School, Allen was tabbed the No. 43 player overall in her recruiting class, including the fourth-best Floridian. She was also recognized as a McDonald's All-American Game nominee.
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"When I was at Mississippi State, I tore my ACL and that itself put a damper on my whole fuse of basketball," said Allen. "But as time went by, I was able to learn from being on the sidelines, watching and spectating everything. I use it now as motivation."
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Vehka-Aho will also play a big role on the squad. The Finland product averaged 12.6 points per game along with a team-leading 62 assists. She started in all 24 games she appeared in before missing the final six due to injury.
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"I think Lotta is going to be a big part of things by taking some of the pressure off Iggy," said Jabir. "We also have a lot of other pieces and a lot of kids that have improved."
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The Owls bring back 13 returners, which include four of FAU's everyday starters from 2019-20. A season ago, the Owls' 17-person roster was composed of 15 underclassmen. That is different this year, as the Owls bring much more experience to the court than before, with each player seeing some time on a collegiate court before.
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"When we watch practice, we see a different team this year," said Jabir.
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FAU women's basketball will take on the court for season No. 37 against North Florida next Monday at 5 p.m.
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For complete coverage of FAU women's basketball, follow us on Twitter (@FAUWBB), Instagram (@FAUWBB) and Facebook (Florida Atlantic University Women's Basketball).
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"I really like our team," said Jabir. "I came here to build a championship [program] and have not been really happy with our progress so far, but I really like this team and I think we are going to make a huge jump and surprise a lot of people."
Â
The Owls finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 13-17 record, along with a 7-11 mark in Conference USA play. FAU tied for eighth in the conference standings and received the No. 10 seed to the C-USA Tournament. This was a significant jump from the prior season, where FAU finished in 12th with a 5-25 record (2-14 C-USA).
Â
Last season, FAU showed teams had to bring their A-game when they faced them. Crystal Primm became Jabir's first C-USA Player of the Week, and the first Owl to earn the award from the conference since the 2015-16 season. Rookie Lotta Vehka-Aho was a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week, becoming a unanimous choice during the Rice and North Texas series, where she averaged 24.5 points, six boards and 3.5 assists and steals per game.
Â
FAU put a halt to losing streaks against several teams. The Owls took down Little Rock for the first time in school history after previously going 0-10 against the Trojans. In C-USA play, the Owls broke a four-game losing skid both against Charlotte and North Texas, beating each for the first time since 2015 and 2016, respectively. FAU also beat FIU on the road in Miami for the first time since 2015.
Â
The Owls were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll. Jabir is not too happy with that placement and hopes to surprise a lot of people.
Â
"Our new players are really good and our old, returning players have really improved," said Jabir. "A lot of the teams we actually beat for the first time in a while last year, so we hope to use that momentum. I know we are better than a 10th place team in the league and I just hope we can remain healthy and have a full season."
Â
Iggy Allen, a graduate transfer from Pompano Beach, Florida, is a new addition who brings experience and talent to the team. Allen played 12 games at Miami last season, and started her collegiate career at Mississippi State, where she played 20 games to help the Bulldogs reach the NCAA Championship title game in 2017.
Â
"She is a really talented player, who can do a lot of things," said Jabir about Allen. "She shoots the three, she can get to the rim, she is super athletic and she has a heart that is just huge. She will beat the crap out of you on the court just because she's tough. I want our team to take on her personality because she is just the toughest kid I have ever been around."
Â
Allen didn't have a normal welcome when she came on campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The adjustment to a new team was different than what she was used to, but everything clicked once she met the other players.
Â
"It is definitely different with the pandemic going on," said Allen. "Upon arrival, I wasn't able to meet everyone since some were quarantining. When they all came back it was all a quick meet-and-greet and we all hit it off."
Â
Out of Dillard High School, Allen was tabbed the No. 43 player overall in her recruiting class, including the fourth-best Floridian. She was also recognized as a McDonald's All-American Game nominee.
Â
"When I was at Mississippi State, I tore my ACL and that itself put a damper on my whole fuse of basketball," said Allen. "But as time went by, I was able to learn from being on the sidelines, watching and spectating everything. I use it now as motivation."
Â
Vehka-Aho will also play a big role on the squad. The Finland product averaged 12.6 points per game along with a team-leading 62 assists. She started in all 24 games she appeared in before missing the final six due to injury.
Â
"I think Lotta is going to be a big part of things by taking some of the pressure off Iggy," said Jabir. "We also have a lot of other pieces and a lot of kids that have improved."
Â
The Owls bring back 13 returners, which include four of FAU's everyday starters from 2019-20. A season ago, the Owls' 17-person roster was composed of 15 underclassmen. That is different this year, as the Owls bring much more experience to the court than before, with each player seeing some time on a collegiate court before.
Â
"When we watch practice, we see a different team this year," said Jabir.
Â
FAU women's basketball will take on the court for season No. 37 against North Florida next Monday at 5 p.m.
Â
For complete coverage of FAU women's basketball, follow us on Twitter (@FAUWBB), Instagram (@FAUWBB) and Facebook (Florida Atlantic University Women's Basketball).
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