FGCU Basketball: Puerto Rico-Bayamon hands women first home loss

The team from Puerto Rico spent most of the first 20 minutes running around an Eagle zone defense that simply couldn't keep up. And when they did, Bayamon's Natalia Galvez was there to knock down the outside jumper.

A switch to man defense cooled their opponents in the second half, and FGCU got a big lift from the bench in Brandi McGinest, who scored a team- high 14 points, but the first-half deficit would ultimately prove too much.

The Eagles lost the first home game in the program's two-year history, 51-43, to Bayamon in the final game of the Hillmyer-Tremont Tip-Off Classic at Alico Arena.

"We don't like losing anywhere," said head coach Karl Smesko, whose team fell to 2-3 and will next face Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras at home Monday at 5:30 p.m. "It feels the same here as it does anywhere else. They were quick, they liked to penetrate, and they really hurt us hitting those (three-pointers) late in the first half. We weren't scoring at all, so it hurt us."

Smesko spent much of the first half substituting players and hoping to find a combination that could neutralize Puerto Rico- Bayamon's Tanaira Tapia (12 points, 13 rebounds) in the post, and pressure Galvez on the perimeter. The Cowgirls' guard scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half, including her team's final eight points over the final 2 minutes 26 seconds of the half.

The Eagles, trailing 33-19 at the half, changed the defensive strategy and held the Cowgirls' (1-1) offense to a dreadful 12 percent from the floor (3-for-25) in the second half. With FGCU center Robyn Swain (12 points, 10 rebounds) in foul trouble, McGinest scored some key baskets late, including a pull-up jumper in the lane that cut the Puerto Rico- Bayamon lead to 45-41 with 3 minutes 8 seconds to play.

"We went to man (defense) and we understood that we had to keep them from penetrating," said McGinest. "I really just tried to focus on my team, and I'll give them whatever they need of me. I took a charge late in the game, I think I had some key rebounds, and I'm just here to help them."

Puerto Rico-Bayamon point guard Yahimily Cabrera (four points, nine assists, six rebounds), who was trouble for FGCU all night with her speed and interior passing, put things out of reach when she intercepted a Tatyana Duverglas pass at midcourt with 24 seconds to play and the score 47-43. She would hit both free throws to ice it for the Cowgirls.

Following the game, Swain, a senior and floor leader for an FGCU team with seven newcomers, said she thinks that the loss could draw the team closer.

"We just have to all come together," she said. "We're not used to each other yet, and we just have to get off to some fast starts and not wait until the second half."

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL vs. PR-RIO PIEDRAS

American International (Mass.) scored the game's first dozen points and never looked back, rolling to a 78-48 victory over Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras to kick off the final day of the Hillmyer- Tremont Tip-Off Tournament at Alico Arena.

AIC (3-0) forward Sharmion Swellman led the team with 19 points and five rebounds, while Heather Wyatt came off the bench to add 10 points and six rebounds.

Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras was beat handily on the glass, 45-25, and didn't get on the board until a Mayte Cruz jumper nearly four minutes into the first half.

Minerva Santiago led Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (0-3) with 10 points, with Maricruz Buxo adding nine points and a pair of assists, and Cruz chipping in with seven points and three rebounds.

PUERTO RICO-BAYAMON 51

FGCU 43

FLORIDA GULF COAST (2-3)

Lee 1-2 0-0 2, Swain 4-8 4-4 10, Jones 0-6 0-1 0, McCallum 3-11 0-0 6, Duverglas 1-3 2-3 5, Myers 0-1 0-0 0, McGinest 6-11 1-1 14, Clarke 2-4 0-0 4.

Totals: 17-46 7-9 43.

PUERTO RICO-BAYAMON (1-1)

Moura 1-9 2-2 5, Tapia 4-11 4-6 12, Escalera 3-5 2-2 8, Yo. Cabrera 2-11 2-2 8, Ya. Cabrera 1-9 2-2 4, Rosado 1-4 0-0 2, Concepcion 0-0 0-0 0, Galvez 4-6 2-2 12, Feliciano 0-2 0-0 0, Colon 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 16-57 14-16 43.

Halftime- Puerto Rico-Bayamon 33, FGCU 19.

3-point goals- Puerto Rico- Bayamon 5-21 (Moura 1-5, Yo. Cabrera 2-9, Ya. Cabrera 0-1, Rosado 0-1, Galvez 2-3, Feliciano 0-2); FGCU 2-8 (Jones 0-3, McCallum 0-1, Duverglas 1-2, Myers 0-1, McGinest 1-1). Fouled Out- PR-Bayamon, Escalera; FGCU, Swain. Rebounds- Puerto Rico-Bayamon 28 (Tapia 13), FGCU 35 (Swain 10). Assists- Puerto Rico-Bayamon 14 (Ya. Cabrera 9), FGCU 9 (Jones 5). Total Fouls- Puerto Rico-Bayamon 22, FGCU 16.

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 78

PUERTO RICO-RIO PEIDRAS 48

PUERTO RICO-RIO PIEDRAS (0-3)

O. Rivera 0-0 0-0 0, Nunez 0-1 0-0 0, Cruz 3-6 0-0 7, Buxo 3-7 2-2 9, De LaPaz 1-6 0-0 2, Latimer 1-4 0-0 2, Rodriguez 1-6 1-2 3, Santiago 4-8 1-2 10, Diaz 1-2 0-0 2, Lopez 0-0 0-0 0, M. Rivera 3-9 0-2 6, Ruiz 1-7 4-4 7. Totals 18-56 8-12 48.

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL (3-0)

Selman 8-12 3-4 19, Wooten 1-3 4-4 6, Carter 1-1 0-0 3, Ladley 3-10 2-2 8, Murphy 1-2 0-0 2, Burns 2-2 0-0 4, Abiodun 2-4 2-2 6, Ransom 3-7 1-4 7, Wyatt 3-4 4-5 10, Rubino 0-5 1-2 1, Pierre 3-6 1-2 7, Sampson 2-6 0-0 5. Totals 29-62 18-25 78.

Halftime- American International 44, Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras 27. 3-point goals- Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras 4-14 (Cruz 1-3, Buxo 1-4, De LaPaz 0-1, Santiago 1-3, Ruiz 1-3); American International 2-15 (Carter 1-1, Ladley 0-7, Ransom 0-4, Wyatt 0-1, Sampson 1-2). Fouled Out- none. Rebounds- Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 25 (M. Rivera 5), American International 45 (Rubino 7). Assists- Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 7 (Cruz, Latimer, Rodrguez 2), American International 16 (Ladley 4). Total Fouls- Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 21, American International 14.