Owls Earn Non-Conference Finale Win Over FIU

Saturday, December 20

Miami, Fla.

11 a.m.

Florida Atlantic

6-6,0-0American

FIU

6-4,0-0CUSA

Fla. Atlantic

FIU

12/20/2025 5:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

MIAMI – The Florida Atlantic Owls wrapped up non-conference play on Saturday, earning a hard-fought 60-57 win over the FIU Panthers in their FIU Holiday Classic finale at Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

The Owls improve to 6-6 on the season, while FIU falls to 6-4 overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams started off slow as Haley Walker hit a jumper to break the scoreless stalemate at the 6:14-minute mark, 2-0. Michiyah Simmons knocked down a free throw to extend the Owls' advantage to 3-0 at the 4:30-minute mark of the first. FIU broke its scoreless streak, scoring nine unanswered points to lead 9-3 with one minute to play in the first. Simmons and Zahira Arizmendi combined for a pair of triples for the Owls as FAU went on a 6-2 run to close out the quarter and make it a one-possession game after the first, 11-9.

FIU opened the second with a 3-pointer, 14-9, but the Owls answered back on a 10-1 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Madi Gewirtz and Arizmendi, to retake the lead 19-15 at the second-quarter media break. The Panthers retook the lead 20-19 after a pair of buckets, but the Owls closed the quarter on a 5-2 run to hold a 24-22 advantage at the halftime break.

The Owls and Panthers battled back and forth in the third quarter, battling through three ties and five lead changes as the Owls trailed by just one, 36-35, entering the final period of play.

The back-and-forth battle continued into the fourth quarter. After FIU tied things up at 44, Erin Rodgers hit a 3-pointer to give the Owls the 47-44 lead with 5:16 to play. Walker tied things up at 54 with 1:30 to play. FIU connected on a pair of free throws to retake the lead 56-54, but Gewirtz scored a layup in transition to once again tie things up at 56 with 34 seconds remaining. Arizmendi put the Owls back in front 58-56, scoring after a steal from Walker. FIU only scored one of its two free throws, and Jess Moors knocked down both of her free throws to seal the Owls' 60-57 win.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH LEANN FREELAND
"We got a gritty win today at FIU. I thought our defensive intensity and our ability to execute the game plan were really good. Excited to go into the break with a win. Haley came up big throughout the game on both ends of the floor, giving her some confidence as we head into conference play."

NOTES AND TEAM STATS

Walker led the way for the Owls, scoring a career-best 19 points, shooting 70 percent (7-of-10) from the field, 50 percent (1-of-2) from beyond the arc, and knocking down four free throws. She also narrowly missed a double-double with a team-high nine boards, in addition to adding a team-high three assists and two steals.
Simmons and Arizmendi also finished in double figures for the Owls, scoring 10 points each.
Gewirtz tallied a career-high four blocks, and Ineivi Plata tallied a team-best three steals against the Panthers.
Florida Atlantic outscored FIU in the second, 15-11, and fourth quarters, 25-21.
The Owls outshot the Panthers at all three levels, outshooting the Panthers 39.6 to 29.2 percent from the floor, 35 to 27.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 73.3 to 65 percent from the line.
FAU also outpaced FIU in fast break points, 13 to 11.

GALLERY

Gallery: (12-20-2025) WBB at FIU

UP NEXT
Following the Christmas break, the Owls host the North Texas Mean Green for their American Conference opener on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+ at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.

FOLLOW THE OWLS
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Florida Atlantic's 2025-26 season is sponsored by Flagler Credit Union.