HOW IT HAPPENED
Torri James, Tia Shelling, Mya Pratcher, Zsofia Telegdy and Jeniffer Silva were the first five on the court for WKU for the third consecutive game.
The two teams went back and forth to start the game, but a 7-0 run by the Lady Toppers helped WKU build a 4-point lead. Silva scored the first six points of the game for WKU, four of those points coming during that run. From there, the teams exchanged baskets and WKU took a 14-11 lead into the second quarter.
James was the first to score in the second quarter, pushing WKU's lead out to five. From there, it was nearly even with WKU outscoring Florida Atlantic 11-10 to take a 27-21 lead into halftime.
Things unraveled for WKU in the third quarter. The Lady Toppers were outscored 21-7 in the frame and gave up a 15-0 run resulting from 12 turnovers in a 6:47 period. The Owls claimed a 42-34 lead going into the final quarter after shooting 6-of-9 from 3-point range in the frame.
Caleigh-Rose West came off the bench and gave WKU a spark in the fourth quarter, helping WKU go on an 8-0 run to start the period, five of those points coming from her. A 3-pointer from West with 2:40 left to play tied the game for WKU, but the Lady Toppers gave up five straight points on the other end. A pair of free throws from Torri James with under a minute left brought the score to within three, but WKU missed a long-range 3-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer.
QUOTABLE
"This is where we've been almost every game, trying to survive our own turnovers," said head coach Greg Collins. "Making sure we get the ball into good spots and getting good shots. It's not one person, it's everybody. It's fundamental errors – trying to throw passes off the dribble, not coming to jump stops. We keep working on those things. Obviously, we have to continue to work on those fundamentals. It's hard to win when you're in the 40s, it's hard to get out of the 40s if you have 20-plus turnovers. That's a lot of shots you're not getting."
NOTABLES
- For the second time this season, Torri James led the Lady Toppers in scoring with 12 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists and a block. It was her third double-digit performance of the season.
- Jeniffer Silva added 10 points along with two blocks. It was her fourth game scoring 10-or-more.
- Caleigh-Rose West put up eight points, six rebounds and steal. Her six boards were a season high and tied her previous career high.
- The Lady Toppers outdid the Owls on the boards, 42-29. It was the third time this season WKU has outrebounded its opponent and it was the widest margin of the year for the Lady Toppers.
- WKU outscored FAU 26-10 in the paint. It was the third time this season WKU has won the battle in the paint.
UP NEXT
The Lady Toppers go back on the road to take on Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Dec. 7. Tipoff is set for noon (CT).
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on Lady Topper Hoops, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on X, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram, @WKU.WBB on TikTok and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
