California State University at Northridge
9-3
Florida Gulf Coast
11-2
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
CSUN Comes Up Short in Loss to Florida Gulf Coast at Hawk Classic
12/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (9-3) lost 73-64 to Florida Gulf Coast Sunday as part of the 2014 Hawk Classic at Hagan Arena on the campus of Saint Joseph's University. Ashlee Guay led three Matadors in double figures, but the Eagles were able to knock down enough 3-pointers to turn back CSUN.
Facing a team from the Atlantic Sun Conference for the first time in program history, CSUN and Florida Gulf Coast engaged in an up-and-down battle. CSUN would lead by six at one point, but the Eagles were able to knock down several 3-pointers to seal the victory.
Turnovers did the Matadors in Sunday as well. CSUN finished with 20 turnovers in the game and those miscues resulted in 25 FGCU points. Conversely, the Eagles had only seven turnovers which resulted in just four points for the Matadors.
Guay finished 6-of-14 from the field and tied a career high with 10 free throws. She moved past Denise Sitton for third in program history with 1,410 points for her career. Guay also became just the fifth player in program history to surpass 500 career field goals.
The Matadors and Eagles exchanged baskets early and a brief FGCU run put them up 13-8 before Katelin King knocked down a 3-pointer. Florida Gulf Coast, who entered the game with 3-pointers accounting for 44 percent of all shots taken, knocked down a couple to take a 27-21 lead with 5:53 left in the half.
CSUN tied the game at 29-29 after Janae Sharpe knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. However, FGCU would take a 34-29 lead into the halftime break.
Sharpe had 11 points and five rebounds and Guay chipped in 10 points in the opening 20 minutes of action. Sharpe tied a season high with three 3-pointers while Guay recorded her 500th career field goal in the first half.
CSUN came out sharp in the second half, tying the game at 42 before taking six-point lead (48-42) midway through the half. However, FGCU fought back and tied the game at 48 and eventually took a 52-50 lead with 7:08 left in regulation.
The Eagles' Whitney Knight scored several big baskets to help FGCU take a 61-55 lead with 3:33 left in the contest. CSUN would close within five points, but Knight knocked down a 3-pointer to give FGCU a 67-59 lead.
Camille Mahlknecht came off the bench to finish with a season-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. She added nine rebounds and two blocked shots in 19 minutes of action.
Randi Friess scored a season-high six points and added seven rebounds. Jasmine Johnson finished with two points and six rebounds.
"First off, Florida Gulf Coast is a very good basketball team and has been a solid program for some time. For us to be in a one-possession game with them coming down the stretch is a testament to how good we can be," CSUN head coach Jason Flowers said. "Anytime you are playing against a good program, you cannot have 20 turnovers or as many mistakes as we had. They made plays down the stretch and we did not. We just have to regroup and get ready for another good team tomorrow."
Knight scored a game-high 27 points for FGCU. She also had six blocks, three steals and eight rebounds.
CSUN returns to action Monday and the Matadors will face the host Saint Joseph's Hawks at 2 p.m. (ET) // 11 a.m. (PT) in the Consolation Game of the tournament. Quinnipiac, who defeated the Hawks, will face Florida Gulf Coast at 4 p.m. (ET) // 1 p.m. (PT).