TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (famuathletics.com) — In its final contest of the 2021 calendar year, the Florida A&M women's basketball team played host to North Florida Thursday (Dec. 30) in a 64-54 loss. Three Rattlers posted double-digit points led by Malerie Brooks' 15.
It's not how you start, but how you finish, and this was certainly the case in the first half of FAMU's non-conference finale, where it was down 11-0 before charging back for a 32-26 deficit at halftime. The Rattlers outscored their competitors 11-4 in the closing three minutes of the opening quarter -- Dylan Horton contributed seven points during the rally -- and the game remained within a few possessions until the start of the third quarter.
Caylan Jones found her way to the basket for a lay-in with 43 seconds remaining until the intermission, and the 28-26 score marked the closest margin the rest of the evening. The Ospreys led by as many as 18 points in the final quarter until the Rattlers worked a 10-2 run, where Horton scored the final six points of the affair. The team's leading scorer has scored in double-digits in nine games this season.
Brooks went 5-for-7 from the field with four 3-pointers, while Anisjah Harris added three more triples en route to 11 points. Maleah Bell notched a team-high eight boards.
Florida A&M begins the SWAC portion of its calendar down the road at Bethune-Cookman Monday at 5 p.m.
