BOCA RATON, Fla. - The ULM women's basketball
team let another second half slip away, as Florida Atlantic capitalized on
numerous empty Warhawk possessions to earn a 77-60 Sun Belt Conference victory
on Saturday afternoon.
ULM trailed by four at the intermission and tied
the game in the early stages of the second period, before a cold spell let the
game slip away. The Warhawks went seven possessions and managed to score just two
points, as they missed five field goals and turned the ball over twice during a
5:43 span in the second half.
Florida Atlantic used a 16-4 scoring run to
push the game wide open and out of reach, as it went up 70-49 with 3:25 remaining
in the contest. The Owls finished the game with 20 points off 21 Warhawk
turnovers.
Elizabeth Torres led ULM (7-9, 1-4 Sun Belt) with
15 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, to go along with four assists. Jesse
Carrier added 11 points, including three 3-pointers, along with four rebounds
and three steals. Sannisha Williams chipped in 10 points and grabbed a
team-high seven rebounds. Larrie Williams led the Warhawk bench with nine points
and a team-high seven rebounds.
Florida Atlantic (8-7, 4-1 Sun Belt) was
paced by Lyrell Barfield's game-high 18 points, while Breana Turner chipped in
11 points. Brittany Bowe finished with 15 points, a game-high eight assists,
four rebounds, and three steals.
The Owls jumped out to an early five point
lead, 7-2, behind a triple and jumper from Turner. ULM quickly responded when Priscilla
Mbiandja sank four-consecutive free throws on two possessions to cut the
deficit to 7-6.
Florida Atlantic took a 31-27 lead into the
locker room at halftime. The Owls closed out the final 3:25 of the opening
period with a 7-2 scoring run, that included a trifecta and layup from Barfield.
Throughout the half there were five lead changes and two scoring ties.
Barfield led all scorers at the intermission
with 11 points, while Mbiandja led the Warhawks with six points, including a
perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
Florida Atlantic began the second period with
a rare four-point play. Barfield drained a 3-pointer after being fouled and then
completed the play with a free throw to push the Owls in front 35-27 just
seconds into the second period.
ULM responded and got to within a point,
41-40, after Sannisha Williams tallied a layup, but it was the Owls who capitalized
on numerous Warhawk turnovers. Florida Atlantic led by as many as 23 points in
the game after late Warhawk fouls sent the Owls to the line where they sank
14-of-20 in the second half.
ULM returns home for a three-game homestand
on Wednesday against East Division leader South Alabama at 7 p.m. inside
Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
