FT. MYERS, Fla. – Savannah State University women's basketball team (2-10) fell to Florida Gulf Coast University (11-6) 89-40 Monday night in Alico Arena.
 
Senior guard Rhianna Warren led the Lady Tigers with 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting and added three rebounds, while junior guard Kierstan Green and senior guard Kenyata Hendrix each added six points. 
 
Senior center Tiyonda Davis led the team with five rebounds and two blocks and added three points and a steal, while senior guard Taylor-Ashley Shaw and sophomore guard Deyja Brown each added four points.  The three points by Davis moves her into eighth most in school history in the Division I era with 749 career points.
 
Davis' layup to begin the game gave the Lady Tigers an early 2-0 lead with 9:37 remaining in the first quarter, but FGCU scored the next six points to take a four-point lead, 6-2, with 7:51 left in the quarter.  Savannah State scored the next four points to tie the game at six, but the Eagles went on a 19-4 run during the rest of the quarter to take a 25-10 lead after one quarter.
 
FGCU started the second quarter with a three-point to increase its lead to 18 points, 28-10, with 9:51 remaining in the quarter, but a jumper by Warren cut the lead to 16 points, 28-12, with 9:33 left.  The Eagles outscored SSU 11-9 to take a 39-21 halftime lead.
 
The Eagles scored 11 of the first 12 points to increase their lead to 30 points, 52-22, but a three-pointer by Hendrix cut the lead to 52-25.  FGCU scored eight of the final 10 points to take a 67-27 lead after three quarters.
 
Freshman guard Praise Russell started the scoring the final quarter with a three-pointer to cut the lead to 67-30, but FGCU scored 22 of the final 32 points for an 89-40 win.
 
The Eagles were led by Erica Nelson with 12 points, Nasrin Ulel and Jessica Cattani with 11 points each, while Tytionia Adderly led the team with 10 rebounds and added seven points.
 
The Lady Tigers return home for the conference opener against Bethune-Cookman University Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Tiger Arena. 
 
Newspaper Box Score
Savannah State vs FGCU
1/2/17 7 PM at Alico Arena
At Alico Arena
FGCU 89, SAVANNAH STATE 40
SAVANNAH STATE (2-10)
WARREN,Rhianna 4-7 2-2 10; GREEN,Kierstan 2-6 2-4 6; HENDRIX,Kenyata 1-8 3-4
6; SHAW,Taylor-Ashley 1-1 2-2 4; BROWN,Deyja 2-3 0-0 4; RUSSELL,Praise 1-1
0-0 3; DAVIS,Tiyonda 1-6 1-4 3; EDWARDS,Jeremica 1-3 0-0 2; MOSS,Lauren 1-3
0-0 2; GRAHAM,Charmia 0-0 0-0 0; TREADWELL,Caprisha 0-2 0-0 0; FIELDS,Lauryn
0-2 0-0 0. Totals 14-42 10-16 40.
FGCU (11-6)
NELSON, Erica 5-6 2-4 12; CATTANI, Jessica 4-7 0-0 11; ULEL, Nasrin 4-8 0-2
11; MCGHEE, Mikala 3-4 2-2 9; ALEXANDER, Jordin 3-5 2-2 8; GOODALL, Tayler
3-6 0-0 7; JULIEN, Rosemarie 2-4 3-5 7; ADDERLY, Tytionia 3-8 1-2 7;
GRADINJAN, Taylor 2-5 0-0 6; DOW, China 2-3 0-0 5; MCCASKILL, Sydnei 1-4 0-0
3; LAUGHTER, Haley 1-5 0-0 3. Totals 33-65 10-17 89.
Savannah State................   10   11    6   13  -   40
FGCU..........................   25   14   28   22  -   89
3-point goals--Savannah State 2-9 (RUSSELL,Praise 1-1; HENDRIX,Kenyata 1-5;
MOSS,Lauren 0-1; FIELDS,Lauryn 0-1; WARREN,Rhianna 0-1), FGCU 13-38
(CATTANI, Jessica 3-6; ULEL, Nasrin 3-7; GRADINJAN, Taylor 2-5; MCGHEE,
Mikala 1-2; DOW, China 1-2; MCCASKILL, Sydnei 1-3; LAUGHTER, Haley 1-4;
GOODALL, Tayler 1-4; ADDERLY, Tytionia 0-3; JULIEN, Rosemarie 0-1; NELSON,
Erica 0-1). Fouled out--Savannah State-None, FGCU-None. Rebounds--Savannah
State 24 (DAVIS,Tiyonda 5), FGCU 42 (ADDERLY, Tytionia 10).
Assists--Savannah State 2 (RUSSELL,Praise 1; SHAW,Taylor-Ashley 1), FGCU 22
(MCCASKILL, Sydnei 5). Total fouls--Savannah State 18, FGCU 17. Technical
fouls--Savannah State-None, FGCU-None. A-1115
 
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