WESTCHESTER, Fla. (Interstat) — Haley Walker scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds Saturday to lift Florida Atlantic to a 60-57 women’s basketball victory over Florida International at Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The Owls, who trailed by four at halftime, used a 25-point fourth quarter to secure the win and avenge a loss to the Golden Panthers from five days prior. Parris Atkins led all scorers with 21 points for Florida International in the defeat. Walker’s performance keyed the comeback for Florida Atlantic, which improved to 6-6. Florida International, which was a heavy statistical favorite pregame, fell to 6-4. Attendance was 128.

WESTCHESTER, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit over grace, the Florida Atlantic Owls authored a stunning fourth-quarter comeback to edge the Florida International Golden Panthers 60-57 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The victory avenged a 17-point loss to the Golden Panthers just five days prior and snapped a three-game skid for the Owls, who improved to 6-6. Florida International fell to 6-4. The contest was a defensive struggle marked by rampant turnovers and frigid shooting. The teams combined for 45 turnovers and shot under 33% from the field. Florida Atlantic’s 25 giveaways were particularly glaring, leading to 23 points for Florida International. The Owls, however, countered with a stifling defense of their own, holding the Golden Panthers to a 29.2% shooting clip and an offensive rating of 68.3. For three quarters, Florida International managed to maintain control despite its own offensive woes. Parris Atkins, who led all scorers with 21 points, fueled the Golden Panthers’ attack. The home team led 11-9 after a disjointed first quarter and took a 22-24 advantage into halftime. They extended their lead to as many as eight points in the third quarter and entered the final period ahead 36-35. The decisive shift came in the game’s final ten minutes. Trailing 41-36 with under seven minutes to play, Florida Atlantic unleashed a 14-2 run to seize control. Haley Walker, who finished with a team-high 19 points and nine rebounds, was the catalyst. The guard from Burlington, Vermont, scored seven points during the critical surge, including a driving layup that gave the Owls a 50-43 lead with just over three minutes remaining. Florida International refused to capitulate, clawing back to within a single point at 56-55 and again at 57-56 in the final minute. With six seconds left and Florida Atlantic clinging to a 58-57 lead, the Golden Panthers’ Denika Lightbourne fouled Florida Atlantic’s Jess Moors on a rebound attempt. Moors, a forward from Auckland, New Zealand, calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to three. Florida International’s final attempt to force overtime was a contested three-pointer from Lightbourne that missed as time expired, sealing the Owls’ hard-fought victory. Beyond Walker’s pivotal performance, Florida Atlantic received key contributions from Zahira Arizmendi of Madrid, Spain, with 10 points, and Michiyah Simmons of Pompano Beach, who also added 10 points off the bench. Madi Gewirtz of Gilbert, Arizona, anchored the interior defense with four blocks. For Florida International, Atkins’ 21 points led the way, supported by nine points and seven rebounds from Rhema Collins of Nassau, Bahamas. The Golden Panthers dominated the offensive glass 11-3 but could not overcome their inefficient shooting. The game, played before an announced crowd of 128, saw Florida Atlantic shoot 39.6% from the field and 35% from three-point range, while Florida International managed just 6 of 22 from beyond the arc. The Owls’ 73.1 offensive rating, while low, narrowly bested their opponents’, proving sufficient on a afternoon where defensive stops were the primary currency. Florida Atlantic will look to build on the win when it hosts North Texas on Dec. 30. Florida International aims to regroup against Fla. National on the same date.

Preview: Florida Atlantic Owls at Florida International Golden Panthers WESTCHESTER, Fla. (Interstat) — The Florida International women’s basketball team looks to continue its winning momentum and complete a regular-season sweep of in-state foe Florida Atlantic when the teams meet Saturday at Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The Golden Panthers (6-3) enter on a five-game winning streak, including a decisive 80-63 victory at Florida Atlantic just five days ago. FIU followed that with a 78-61 home win over Youngstown State on Friday afternoon, powered by a dominant 28-point, 12-rebound performance from star guard Rhema Collins. Collins has been exceptional, averaging 22.7 points over her last three games. In the previous meeting with FAU, she scored 16 points with three assists. The visiting Owls (5-6) are seeking to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 66-50 home loss to Massachusetts on Friday. FAU’s struggles include the 17-point loss to these same Golden Panthers on Dec. 15, a game in which Owls forward Vivian Onugha scored 18 points in 22 minutes. Onugha has been a bright spot, averaging 11.3 points over her last six contests. FAU will need a stronger defensive effort after allowing an average of 72 points during its current losing streak. FIU’s offense has been potent, surpassing 80 points in three of its last five games. Beyond Collins, contributors like Parris Atkins, who had 12 points and seven rebounds Friday, provide balance. The Owls have shown resilience in close games, with two overtime wins this season, but containing Collins and improving their perimeter defense will be critical to avenging last week’s loss. Saturday’s matchup is the final non-conference game for both programs before each begins its respective league schedule in January. Tip-off is set for Saturday afternoon.