FAU Women’s Basketball Falls 101-87

The Florida Atlantic University women’s basketball team saw its three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday as Middle Tennessee downed the Owls 101-69 in Conference USA action.

MT’s 101 points is the most allowed by FAU in a home game since Pittsburgh picked up a 101-87 victory on Dec. 7, 2002.

Sophomore Shaneese Bailey, who posted 29 point games in each of FAU’s last two outings, led the Owls (8-6, 2-1 C-USA) with 27 points and seven rebounds. FAU freshman Sasha Cedeno scored a career-high 15 points, all of which came in the second half.

MT’s Cheyenne Parker had a career night with 26 points and 18 rebounds while Olivia Jones led the Blue Raiders with 27 points on the night.

The Blue Raiders (9-4, 3-0 C-USA) shot 50 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers while scoring 48 points in the paint. MT’s three-pointers, free throws, and points in the paint combined for 99 of its 101 points.

“We knew that they were going to be good down low and it’s a problem for us,” FAU Head Coach Kellie Lewis-Jay said. “Kat [Wright] played her heart out and did a great job, but they have talented kids that are hard to stop.”

Nineteen of Bailey’s points came in the first half, but she was just one of three Owls to score in the opening frame, joining Kat Wright’s 10 andMalia Kency’s two points.

Bailey scored 11 of FAU’s first 13 points and a fast-break layup by Kency gave the Owls their largest lead of the game at 19-14 midway through the first half.

An 11-0 run over the next two minutes followed by a 19-0 run in the closing minutes of the half put the game in the hands of the Blue Raiders who led 53-31 at the intermission.

The second half saw an offensive barrage from MT as Parker made a layup at the 11:30 mark to give the Blue Raiders the largest lead of the game at 83-47.

The Owls would chip away, cutting the margin to 26 points with 3:33 to play, but could get no closer.