FGCU advances with 75-67 win over Cowgirls

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Kaneisha Atwater scored 26 points and Whitney Knight added 19 points and 10 rebounds to help Florida Gulf Coast win its 26th straight game with a 75-67 victory over 10th-seeded Oklahoma State in first-round play of the NCAA Tournament Saturday.

It was a sweet win for the seventh-seeded Eagles (31-2), who were eliminated in last year’s first round of the NCAA tournament 61-60 in overtime by Oklahoma State.

Gulf Coast was up by five at the half and extended its lead to 71-54 with 4:37 left.

Oklahoma State (20-12) was led in scoring by Roddricka Patton’s career high 23 points. She had scored only 34 points all season entering the game. Liz Donohoe added 14 points for the Cowgirls, all in the second half. Brittney Martin’s game-high 12 rebounds helped Oklahoma State to a 44-32 advantage on the boards.

The Eagles will face the winner of Florida State and Alabama State on Monday night. Florida Gulf Coast shot 45.2 percent and hit on 34.4 percent from 3-point distance while Oklahoma State shot just 37.1 despite making 8 of 15 from 3-point land.

FGCU jumped off to an 11 point lead at 24-13 midway through the first half although Oklahoma State rallied to earn a pair of brief one point advantages late in the half.

The Cowgirls closed to within three at 38-35 on a Donohoe jumper with 17:45 remaining, but couldn’t get any closer.

TIP-INS:

Florida Gulf Coast: The Eagles last loss was nearly four months ago when they lost 90-83 to Ohio State in a double overtime game Nov. 29 at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Only UConn and Princeton have longer winning streaks.

Oklahoma State finished with 20 wins in four straight seasons for the first time in its history.

RIM SHOTS

Oklahoma State had previously played four overtime games in NCAA tournament games.

FGCU’s Whitney Knight, the Atlantic Sun Coast Conference Player of the Year, is the only player to lead a conference in 3-point shots and blocked shots.

LONG DISTANCE

Florida Gulf Coast kept up its pace shooting 3-pointers, making 11 of 32 in Saturday’s win.

Oklahoma State was 8-of-15 from beyond the arc.