Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark.?Jocelyn Love scored 25 points including two threes, but that wasn't enough to spark the University of Arkansas-Little Rock as they lost 60-55 against Florida International at the Jack Stephens Center Saturday. UALR (12-11, 4-6 Sun Belt) has never beaten FIU (13-9, 6-2) who holds a 14 game winning streak.
“When you coach young kids, you have a hard time going from one game to the next,” said head coach Joe Foley. “We have had a hard time all year going from one game to the next. I was hoping after the ASU game it would give us the intensity to come back and play. I thought we played about a half a step slow all night.”
Florida International shot 38.3 percent on the floor to UALR's 37.7 percent put went 22-of-24 from the charity stripe compared to 5-of-11 for the Trojans.
Love went 9-of-21 from the floor, 2-of-6 from the arc, and 5-of-11 from the free throw line. She also brought down six boards and contributed two steals.
Renee Renz knocked down 12 points and led the team in rebounds with seven.
Andrea Keys and Jessica Brown each contributed six points, while Brown and Heather Morris led the team with four assists a piece.
For the Golden Panthers, Lasma Jekabsone recorded a double-double with team highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Laura Throesch set a career high with three blocks leading all players.
FIU opened the first half with a jumper by Jekabsone, before UALR tied the score with a jumper by Love.
The lead bounced between teams until the 15:28 mark when a jumper by Renz sparked a six point run for the Trojans giving them a five point advantage.
The Golden Panthers jumped right back into the game on a three-pointer by Iva Ciglar followed by free throws by Jekasbone to tie the score for the fourth time.
After the score tied two more times, Love knocked in a jumper with 53 seconds on the clock. Strong UALR defense sent the team into the locker room with a 25-23 lead.
In the second half, the score continued to bounce back and forth between both teams with the score tying six times within the first six minutes.
At the 11:57 mark, Jekabsone knocked in two free throws to start a four point run for FIU giving them a five point lead.
The Trojans chiseled the lead down to three on free throws by Love, but FIU quickly regained the five point lead.
A jumper by Keys and a three-pointer by Patrice Wade kept the Trojans within two with 8:14 remaining.
At the 4:38 mark, Renz knocked in a jumper to tie the score, but the Golden Panthers went on a six point run all on free throws to regain the lead.
Love sunk a three-pointer with 54 seconds on the clock to get the Trojans with three. FIU regained the lead on more free throws, before Love went to the line and made one of two.
A FIU free throw at the end gave them the 60-55 victory.
Arkansas-Little Rock continues conference action next week as they take on Western Kentucky on Thursday in Bowling Green, Ky. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
