FAU guard Lyrell Barfield drives toward the basket in FAU’s 51-50 loss to New Orleans in the first round of Sun Belt Tournament on Saturday in Hot Springs, Ark. (FAUOwlAccess photo)
Private tears
> UNO 51, FAU 50: FAU’s season comes to an end with an upset to the hands of New Orleans in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark.
Originally published on
3/6/2010
by
Marcus Nelson
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Even though Brittany Bowe struggled all game in FAU’s game vs. New Orleans in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, there was no doubt who Chancellor Dugan wanted to take the biggest shot of the day and the season.
The coaching staff wanted the ball in Bowe’s hands for a potential game-winning shot, but Bowe’s 25-foot jumper as time expired was short as the Owls lost to New Orleans 51-50 on Saturday at the Convention Center Court.
“We wanted her to shoot it,” Dugan said. “We were telling them in the huddle to get the ball to Brittany at halfcourt.”
Bowe, the Owls’ leading scorer averaging 12.5 points per game, was 1-for-3 from the field when she caught the ball around midcourt after Nicole Holmes made two free throws to give the Privateers (11-19) the lead.
“I had a good look and it felt good,” Bowe said. “It just fell short.”
FAU, came into the game as the No. 5 seed, but against the No. 12 seed Privateers, FAU looked like the underdog.
The Owls went nine minutes without making a field goal in the first half and didn’t make a shot for a span of six minutes in the second half.
The second drought cost FAU its 9-point lead as the Privateers, who are leaving Division I after this season, rallied to take the lead in the last minutes of the game.
“When we came here this week our sights were set on upsetting the No, 5 seed,” said UNO coach Amy Champion. “We have been preparing the last five or six days religiously. …This was quite a win for us. I don't think anybody gave us a chance. That was probably the biggest win in program history because of the circumstances surrounding our program.”
A putback by Carla Stubbs of a Lyrell Barfield miss with :13 remaining gave the Owls a 49-48 lead, but the rest of the points of the game would be scored at the free-throw line including the game-winners by Holmes.
“We got what needed there,” said Stubbs, who led FAU with 13 points. “We needed to score.”
The loss ends FAU's most successful season in the Sun Belt Conference, but was the second time in two season the Owls (14-15) were upset in the first round.
GameBrowser: New Orleans 51, FAU 50
Moving forward: Breana Kone started for the first time this season and had 6 points, 8 rebounds; and her 6 blocks to set a FAU post-season record. ...Teri Stamps had 12 points and was 3-of-4 from behind the arc.
Moving backward: Carla Stubbs was 4-of-12 from the field. …FAU was outrebounded 42-33.
Stat Download: Lyrell Barfield hit her first two shots of the game and was 0-13 the rest of the way.
Up Next: FAU’s season is over. New Orleans plays Denver in the quarterfinals on Sunday at 12:15 p.m.
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- SBC women’s basketball tournament is underway here in Hot Springs, Ark.: We’ll have updates of FAU vs. UNO here
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 12, UNO 7 @ 1st half >16 media timeout…Kone gets start ahead of Knurick. Interesting.
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 16, UNO 9 @ 1st half >12 media timeout…Owls hit three triples to start game
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 16, UNO 11 @ 1st half >8 media timeout…FAU started out hot but has only hit 3 out its last 17 shots
- SBC Women’s Tourney: UNO 18, FAU 16 @ 1st half >4 media timeout…Bad time to go cold. FAU hasn’t scored in almost 9 minutes.
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 23, UNO 20 (Halftime) Owls just 27.6 percent from field
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 35, UNO 29 @ 2nd half >16 media timeout… Bowe struggling and has 1 point on 0-3 shooting
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 40, UNO 33 @ 2nd half >12 media timeout…Stamps is first Owl in double-figures. She has 12 on 4-of-6 shooting from field
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 43, UNO 40 @ 2nd half >8 media timeout…Another cold spell. Owls havent made FG in almost 6 minutes
- SBC Women’s Tourney: UNO 46, FAU 45 @ 2nd half >4 media timeout…Helm gives UNO lead, but Stubbs will be shooting 2 when we come back.
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 49, UNO 48 @ 0:13 2nd half…Barfield’s airball putback by Stubbs to give Owls lead
- SBC Women’s Tourney: FAU 50, UNO 49 @ 0:8 2nd half…After Helm only makes 1-of-2 FTs, Knurick gets rebound and is fouled and makes 1-2 FTs
- SBC Women’s Tourney Final: UNO 51, FAU 50…Bowe got good look but missed 23-footer at buzzer