For the last time this season, Florida Atlantic University’s women’s basketball (10-20, 2-15 AAC) suited up in their final regular season game at the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. On March 4, the Owls took down the University of Memphis Tigers (7-21, 5-12 AAC), 69-62. 

This victory over Memphis marked the first in FAU women’s basketball history win versus Memphis. For FAU head coach, Jennifer Sullivan, this win meant a little more for her; because Memphis is her alma mater as well as the school she played at in college. 

This game also honored FAU’s two senior guards, Maria Myklebust and Jada Moore, who gave it their all this season and their previous seasons. 

Moore averaged 11 points and five rebounds for the Owls this season, all while scoring her career-high 24 points vs Temple. Moore spent three seasons at FAU after transferring from Kansas State University. Mkylebust averaged 3.6 points per game this season and spent half of her career at FAU after transferring from the University of Vermont. 

“They all just took a chance on me and I was much younger then, and they just allowed me to grow into the person I am today,” said Moore. “I felt like no matter what happened, no matter what adversity came or anything, they believed in me and helped me not only grow as a person off the court but like helped me improve my game on the court.”

The outcome of this game without guard Mya Perry’s career-high 31-point performance would not have been what it was without the help and uplifting from her teammates. 

“I did it all for them; they needed me tonight and I needed them so I showed out as much as I could and did what I could for them to win on senior night,” said Perry.

Memphis won the tipoff, but FAU’s defense held them back to a shot-clock violation. While both teams were off to a rough start regarding shooting, Memphis put up the game’s first points from free throws. Center Lovisa Asbrink Hose scored the Owls’ first points of the game following the next possession.

Memphis went on a 6-0 scoring run before guard Stefanie Ingram scored her first points and triple of the game. Perry then stole the ball and scored again on the next possession, cutting FAU’s deficit to one with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Moore gave the Owls their first lead of the game, followed by an assist from Ingram to guard Ta’Ziah Jenks to extend FAU’s lead to three. Memphis then answered with a layup.

Perry was fouled on her layup, which gave her a chance at a three-point play; she made her free throw, putting the Owls up four. Jenks then drained a three to put the Owls up another three points.

The Owls went on a 6-0 run for two minutes and had a 15-2 run over five minutes. These trends also led to Memphis being in a three-minute scoring drought. 

FAU lead at the end of the first quarter, 17-12.

Memphis scored the first points of the second quarter, but FAU answered with a triple from guard Zahira Arizmendi, putting the Owls up by six.

FAU made all three field goals on each of their possessions, a 7-0 scoring run, extending their lead to 29-18 with four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Perry scored five points, and Hose scored the remaining two.

FAU then went on a two-minute and 30-second scoring drought, going 0-4 for their field goals. Myklebust scored a triple to break the Owls’ scoring drought and keep the Owls up by eight.

FAU continued to hold the lead over Memphis going into halftime, 32-26.

FAU opened the second half with a triple from Ingram. Ingram then assistedPerry on a layup, giving FAU their largest lead of 11 points.

Halfway through the third quarter, FAU was the only team to score, forcing Memphis to call a timeout. The Owls extended their lead to 15 with buckets from Ingram, Perry, and Myklebust.

FAU then proceeded on another scoring drought for three minutes, and Memphis went on a 6-0 run over two minutes. This, however, was not enough to snap FAU’s lead of nine points.

Perry scored the final points before the end of the third quarter and snapped the Owls’ scoring drought.

FAU held onto their lead going into the fourth quarter, 43-37.

Perry opened up the fourth and final quarter with a triple. She then proceeded to score the last four buckets for FAU, marking her 23rd point of the game.

While FAU’s scoring droughts throughout the game were more consistent, the Owls never let them last for too long; Myklebust scored a contested layup to end FAU’s two-minute scoring drought.

The game came down to the wire with Memphis trailing by just five points with less than two minutes remaining. However, Ingram was able to score a second-chance layup to continue the Owls’ lead.

After being fouled and making both free throws, Perry set her new career high with 31 points.

In the fourth quarter alone, FAU shot 57.1% from the field, and 33.3% from three, putting up 26 points in this quarter alone. 

“For us to lock in and get stops as well as score with them, I think it helped a lot for us to really close the game out,” said Sullivan.

FAU secured the win in their last home and regular season game with a score of 69-62.

The Owls will fly to Fort Worth, Texas, to compete in the American Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on March 6, set to take on the Charlotte 49ers and look to advance to the second round.

Angelina Martell is the Sports Reporter for the University Press. Email her at amartell2023@fau.edu or contact her on Instagram @angieemartell for information regarding this or other stories.