by BOCA RATON, Fla. — Shania Nichols (Ojibwe) recorded her first career double-double on Saturday afternoon, but Kennesaw State suffered its first loss of the season, falling 68-28 to Florida Atlantic at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
Nichols started and played a team-high 35 minutes, finishing with a team-high 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. She shot 4-of-16 from the field and 2-of-10 from three-point range, with nine of her rebounds coming on the defensive end, plus two turnovers.
Florida Atlantic opened the game on a 7-0 run and led 13-2 after the first quarter, holding Kennesaw State without a field goal (0-of-14) in the period — the Owls’ only points came on two Kayla Sullivan free throws.
Kaelyn Flowers opened the second quarter with back-to-back driving layups, and Nichols hit two three-pointers late in the half to trim the margin to 29-12 at the break. Kennesaw State shot just 4-of-33 in the first half.
Scores from Tracey Bershers and Flowers pulled Kennesaw State within 14 early in the third quarter before Florida Atlantic broke the game open with a 16-2 run, outscoring the Owls 24-9 in the third and 15-7 in the fourth. Nichols scored four points and grabbed five rebounds in the second half and drew a charge on the defensive end. Erin Rodgers led Florida Atlantic with 13 points and seven rebounds.
Kennesaw State fell to 2-1 while Florida Atlantic improved to 1-1. The Owls shot 19 percent from the field (11-of-58) and were outrebounded 53-31. Kennesaw State plays at Georgia on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Athens.
