Florida A&M women’s basketball lost 85-56 to UCF on Nov. 3 in Orlando, Fla. The Rattlers fell behind 23-11 after the first quarter and trailed 39-19 at halftime. The result moved Florida A&M to 0-1, while UCF improved to 1-0.
Kamryn Grant led Florida A&M with 18 points and five rebounds, including three offensive rebounds. Tahnyjia Purifoy added five points and eight assists, while Persais Williams scored six points. Florida A&M’s bench contributed 31 points.
UCF builds an early lead
UCF controlled the opening quarter and took a 23-11 advantage into the second period. Florida A&M continued to lose ground before halftime, entering the break down 39-19. The Knights extended the margin to 63-28 after halftime.
Florida A&M answered with a 5-0 run in the third quarter, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Kristen Johnson. The run trimmed the deficit to 63-33 with 13 seconds remaining in the period. UCF held that lead entering the fourth quarter.
Florida A&M creates second chances
Florida A&M collected 11 offensive rebounds and turned them into nine second-chance points. Grant led that effort with three offensive rebounds. The Rattlers also forced 21 UCF turnovers while committing 20.
Florida A&M converted the UCF turnovers into eight points. Dijona Berrien led the Rattlers individually with two steals. The defensive pressure provided opportunities despite the deficit.
UCF built a 76-39 advantage in the fourth quarter before Florida A&M used a 6-0 run to cut the margin to 76-45 with 4:05 remaining. The Rattlers continued to attack during the closing minutes, scoring 23 points in the period. Twelve of those fourth-quarter points came in the paint before UCF secured the 85-56 victory.
FSB Take
Florida A&M’s early deficit shaped the result, with UCF holding a 20-point halftime advantage. The Rattlers showed areas to build on through 31 bench points, 11 offensive rebounds and 21 forced turnovers. Grant’s 18-point performance also gives Florida A&M a clear offensive contribution to carry forward from the road game.
Source: Original report