FAU women’s basketball (4-1) won a 68-66 nailbiter against the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (1-6) to conclude the Thanksgiving Classic at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on Saturday evening.  

With the victory, this marks the Owls’ best start after five games since the 2018-19 season.

“I think a lot of their work is just coming to fruition,” said head coach Jennifer Sullivan. “[Our] players have been grinding every day in practice and working to get better and just get in and get rewarded for that. It’s really exciting, exciting for the fanbase and we’re just thankful for it.”

Both teams shot well throughout the first half. FAU was accurate on 60.7% of its shots, compared to Sacred Heart’s 56% from the field.

The offense cooled down from both sides in the third quarter, only making a combined total of six shots on 22 attempts.

Sacred Heart kept the game close with four three-pointers in the fourth quarter, but FAU adjusted defensively to keep the Pioneers out of reach.

“I was proud of the fact that they didn’t get rattled,” Sullivan said. “They hit some big shots, credit to them for making a close game, and [I] was really proud of our composure down the stretch and not getting rattled adjusting to what was taking place.”

Senior guard Alexa Zaph and redshirt senior forward Janeta Rozentale combined for 37 points for the Owls. Freshman guard Aniya Hubbard, who made a clutch shot inside the paint with 29 seconds left in the game, finished with eight points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Sacred Heart saw freshman guard Ny’Ceara Pryor lead the way with a game-high 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Senior guard Olivia Tucker and graduate guard Sajada Bonner contributed with 10 points each.

The Owls will next host Kennesaw State University on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on C-USA TV.

Richard Pereira is the News Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @Rich26Pereira.