TALLAHASSEE, FL -- The Rattlers dominated Mississippi Valley State, defeating the Delta Devils 88-60 at home Thursday, with standout performances from Sabou Gueye and ZiKeyah Carter, who both recorded double-doubles to lead the Florida A&M women's basketball team to victory.
The Rattlers had four players score in double figures, led by Gueye, who notched a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Cheyenne McEvans added 17 points, five assists and two steals and Carter chipped in as well with a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Led by Ivet Subirats' three offensive rebounds, Florida A&M did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 14 boards that resulted in 13 second chance points.
The Florida A&M defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Thursday's game, forcing 15 Mississippi Valley State turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 19 points on the other end of the floor. McEvans' two steals led the way individually for the Rattlers.
How It Happened
After playing to a 3-3 tie early in the game, Florida A&M went on a 10-0 run with 7:29 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Gueye, to take a 13-3 lead. The Rattlers then added eight points to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter break with a 30-12 advantage. Florida A&M did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 18 of its 30 points close to the basket.
Florida A&M kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 12-0 run starting at the 6:35 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 42-20. The Delta Devils cut into that lead, but the Rattlers still enjoyed a 44-23 advantage heading into halftime. Florida A&M forced two Mississippi Valley State turnovers in the period and turned them into four points.
Florida A&M continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Eve Alexander, to expand its lead further to 59-38 with 3:01 to go in the third. The Rattlers held onto that lead for the rest of the frame and entered the fourth quarter with a 67-46 edge. Florida A&M's bench made the most of its minutes in the period, as non-starters totaled 10 of the team's 23 third-quarter points.
Florida A&M kept widening that lead, expanding it to 77-52 before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Gueye's layup, to grow the lead to 83-52 with 3:17 to go in the contest. The Delta Devils narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Rattlers still cruised the rest of the way for the 88-60 win. Florida A&M took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 18 of its 21 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» Florida A&M got double-doubles from both Sabou Gueye and ZiKeyah Carter.
» The Rattlers held the Delta Devils to only 29.2 percent shooting from the field.
» The Rattlers never trailed after taking a 30-12 first quarter lead.
» Florida A&M tallied 20 total assists in the game.
» Florida A&M had a 53-28 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Florida A&M defense forced 15 turnovers.
» The Rattlers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying six blocks as a team.
» Florida A&M cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
» Sabou Gueye led the Rattlers with a game-high 20 points.
» Sabou Gueye grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to lead Florida A&M and ZiKeyah Carter contributed 10.
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