FAU women’s basketball returned to action Thursday night, taking down the University of North Texas Mean Green (3-8, 0-1 C-USA) 66-61 at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Fla. 

“A game like this is a really good test for us to see how we can do for 40 minutes,” said head coach Jennifer Sullivan. “Obviously both teams made a lot of runs, and to come out on the other side of it for this team was a really encouraging sign for us throughout the season.”

After the Mean Green scored the game’s first basket, graduate forward Sophia Galeron got the scoring started for the Owls with a layup off an assist from freshman guard Aniya Hubbard. Three minutes later, Hubbard capped a five-point scoring run with an easy layup in transition off of a steal, giving the Owls’ their first lead of the night. 

On the following possession, Hubbard sank her first attempt of the night from three-point range, putting the Owls ahead 10-9.

The lead went back and forth throughout the first half, with graduate forward Amber Gaston tying the score at 12 apiece 18 seconds into the second quarter. With 7:48 left, redshirt senior forward Janeta Rozentale made one-of-two attempts from the free throw line, retaking the lead for FAU at 15-14, which they held for the remainder of the first half. 

Despite an efficient first half shooting the ball, 57.1% from the field and 50% from three-point range, the Owls only led 28-27 at halftime. Hubbard led both teams in scoring at halftime with 15 points, along with three assists and a rebound. 

After the score remained close throughout the third quarter, redshirt junior guard Joiya Maddox sunk a three-pointer with seven seconds left in the quarter, leaving the Owls with a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

As the fourth quarter began, it seemed FAU was starting to pull away as Maddox converted a three-point play, extending the Owls’ lead to 12. With 3:03 left in regulation, senior guard Alexa Zaph sunk a jumpshot to push that lead to 15—the largest lead of the night. 

Despite a 15-point advantage, the Owls allowed the Mean Green to come roaring back in the final three minutes. North Texas went on a 12-point scoring run to shrink the Owls’ lead to three with 30 seconds to play. 

After a traveling call on the Mean Green left FAU with the ball, Zaph drew a foul with two seconds left and made both free throws to secure the five-point victory for the Owls. 

The Owls’ next appearance will be on the road against the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (8-2, 0-1 C-USA) on Thursday, Jan. 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on C-USA TV. 

Cameron Priester is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @PriesterCameron