Tulsa Edges FAU, 70-68, in FAU Thanksgiving Tournament

Friday, November 26

Boca Raton, Fla.

11:00 am

Tulsa

5-0,0-0AAC

Florida Atlantic

-23,00 CUSA

Tulsa

Fla. Atlantic

Tulsa Edges FAU, 70-68, in FAU Thanksgiving Tournament

11/26/2021 2:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Final Book in PDF
Season Stats in PDF

Maya Mayberry had a season-best 23 points, while Temira Poindexter added 18, Wyvette Mayberry posted 11 and Maddie Bittle scored 10 to give Tulsa a 70-68 win over FAU on Friday afternoon in the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament at Abessinio Court at FAU Arena in Boca Raton, Fla. The Golden Hurricane moved to 5-0 on the season, while the Owls fell to 2-3 overall.

Rebecca Lescay added a team-best eight rebounds and five assists, while Poindexter had three steals.

"I am so proud of this team and how hard they fought today," Head Coach Angie Nelp said. "The team really helped each other. Maya is a tremendous player and the way she played today against different defenses was great, and then she hit three three's in a row which gave us momentum and turned the game. Her energy spread throughout our team. It is so fun on the bench because they get excited for each other, and it is good to see our players be successful."

For the game, Tulsa shot 45.8-percent from the field, 43.8-percent from behind the arc and 75-percent from the free throw line, while FAU was 41.5-percent from the field, 42.1-percent from three-point range and 80-percent from the line.

TU had a 7-4 advantage in steals and a 4-2 lead in blocks, while FAU had a 37-30 lead in rebounds and both teams had 15 assists.

After trailing 9-2 at the 7:31 mark of the first quarter, Tulsa pulled to within two, 13-11, with 2:25 to play in the frame. The Owls owned a 17-11 advantage at the end of the quarter after shooting 37.5-percent compared to the Hurricane's 28.6-percent.

Two three-pointers by Maya Mayberry to begin the second quarter tied the contest at 17-17 at the 8:50 mark while a layup by Wyvette Mayberry gave TU their first lead of the day, 21-19, with 6:58 to play in the frame. TU outscored FAU, 14-4, in the first five minutes of the quarter to own a 25-21 advantage at the 5:17 mark and had a 24-8 scoring edge in the frame for a 35-25 lead at halftime.

Tulsa hit 76-percent (10-of-13) of their field goal attempts in the second period, including 66-percent (4-of-6) from behind the arc, while FAU shot just 23-percent in the second quarter.

Tulsa had a 14-point lead, 45-31, at the 5:53 mark of the third quarter, but the Owls scored eight straight points to pull within six, 45-39, with 2:46 to play in the frame. TU outscored FAU, 8-2, to close out the quarter with a 53-41 advantage.

FAU cut their deficit to just one, 60-59, at the 2:48 mark of the fourth quarter after outscoring TU, 18-7, in the frame. The Owls trailed by just one point again, 62-61, with 2:18 on the clock, but a layup and a free throw made by Poindexter made it a four-point game for Tulsa, 65-61.

Amber Gaston hit two free throws with just 1:05 on the clock to pull FAU within two, 65-63, but Poindexter hit two big free throws with just 20 seconds on the clock and Maddie Bittle scored a free throw with 19 seconds remaining to put Tulsa up by five, 68-63. Gaston then scored on a layup for a 68-65 score, but Maya Mayberry scored two free throws and then Alexa Zaph scored a three-pointer at the buzzer for the final score.

FAU was led by Janeta Rozentale with 16 points, while Rita Pleskevich had 15, Gaston had 14 and Zaph added 12. Rozentale had 10 rebounds, while Sofia Galeron added eight boards.

Tulsa will return to action against Austin Peay in the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday, November 27 beginning at 11:00 am Central.