@UNCBearsWBB Ends Road Trip With Loss

Friday, December 19

Fort Myers, Florida

2:35 pm

University of Northern Colorado

6-5

Fla. Gulf Coast

9-2

Team	1	2	F
UNCO	25	31	56
FGCU	36	33	69

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

12/19/2014 6:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

D'shara Strange recorded her second double-double of the year, but the Bears still fell to Florida Gulf Coast

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Northern Colorado women's basketball closed out its non-conference season Friday afternoon, falling to Florida Gulf Coast 69-56 on the road.

The trio of D'shara Strange (Fountain), Stephanie Lee (Casper, Wyo.) and Kourteney Zadina (Seward, Neb.) led the Bears (6-5) in the loss. All three players finished in double-digit points, led by Strange's 23.

Strange also finished with 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. The 23 points and 10 rebounds made for her second double-double of the year, and 21st of her career.

Lee was Northern Colorado's second leading scorer with 14 points, including a season high and a career high tying, two made three point baskets. She was UNC's second leading rebounder with four, and led the team in blocks with three.

Zadina's 12 points all came off of three point baskets. The four made three pointers were a career high, and her point total was one off her career high of 13.

The Bears recovered from a poor shooting night Wednesday, with a 40.7 percent mark from the field. Of the teams 22 baskets 13 came off an assist, four more than Florida Gulf Coast.

Savannah Scott (Campbell, Calif.) led all players with three assists, tying her career high.

The combination of a quick start by FGCU's Whitney Knight (11 points) and seven UNC turnovers in the first seven minutes got FGCU out to a quick lead. Knight finished the game with 17 points.

The Eagles would go on to build their lead all the way to 21 with 5:00 remaining in the first, before UNC went on a 12-2 run to end the half. UNC's run was capped off by Strange banking in a three as time expired.

FGCU entered the locker room with a 36-25 lead.

After being held to just four points in the first half Lee came out and scored the first seven points for the Bears in the second. During that time UNC would get within nine of Florida Gulf Coast, but never any closer.

The Bears had momentum going their way after a Zadina three cut the lead to 10 at the midway point of the half, before FGCU went on an 8-1 over the next three minutes to end any hopes of a comeback for the Bears.

Northern Colorado is now off until New Year's Day, when they open Big Sky play at home against Montana at 2 p.m.

To stay up to date on the Bears go to UNCBears.com, and follow along on Twitter @UNC_Bears and like Northern Colorado Bears on Facebook. Also follow the women's basketball team on Twitter @UNCBearsWBB and like them on Facebook at Northern Colorado Women's Basketball.