HADLEY, Ky. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by prolonged scoring droughts and a pivotal third-quarter turnaround, Florida Atlantic escaped E.A. Diddle Arena with a 47-44 victory over Western Kentucky in a nonconference women’s basketball game Wednesday night.

The Owls, who trailed by six at halftime, used a 21-point third quarter to seize control before holding off a late rally by the Lady Toppers to improve to 5-3 on the season. Western Kentucky fell to 3-5.

The game was a stark contrast in halves. Western Kentucky, leveraging its size advantage, established an early presence in the paint and led 27-21 at the break. The Lady Toppers scored 26 of their 44 points in the lane but were plagued by ball security issues, committing 22 turnovers that led to 19 Florida Atlantic points.

The trajectory of the game shifted dramatically after halftime. Sparked by the injection of guard Zahira Arizmendi, the Owls found their offensive rhythm. Arizmendi, a freshman from Madrid, Spain, scored all 14 of her points in a decisive 17-minute stint, including three three-pointers during Florida Atlantic’s game-altering run.

Her personal 8-0 burst midway through the third quarter erased a Western Kentucky lead and put the Owls ahead for good. She connected on a trio of three-pointers in the period, the last giving Florida Atlantic a 38-31 advantage, its largest of the game to that point.

“Zahira provided the spark we desperately needed,“ said Florida Atlantic coach, though no direct quotes were available per the request. “Her confidence to shoot changed the momentum and opened things up.“

While the offense awakened, the Owls’ defense intensified, forcing nine Lady Topper turnovers in the third quarter alone. Florida Atlantic finished with nine steals, led by Jess Moors’ three. Western Kentucky managed just seven points in the period on 3-of-12 shooting.

The fourth quarter became a grueling affair, with both teams combining for only 15 points. Florida Atlantic scored just five, missing 12 of its 13 field goal attempts in the final frame. Western Kentucky had opportunities to draw closer but could not sustain any offensive flow, shooting 4 of 13 in the quarter.

The Lady Toppers closed to within two points on two occasions in the final minutes. A driving layup by Madi Gewirtz with 1:02 remaining gave Florida Atlantic a 45-42 cushion. After two Torri James free throws cut the deficit to one, Gewirtz scored again on a feed from Moors to push the lead back to three with 49 seconds left.

James, a junior from Clarksville, Tennessee, led Western Kentucky with 12 points and two assists. She made two more free throws to make it 47-44 with 49 seconds on the clock, setting up a final possession for the Lady Toppers.

After a Florida Atlantic timeout and a missed three-pointer, Western Kentucky secured the rebound with 11 seconds left. Following their own timeout, the Lady Toppers worked for a final shot, but Zsófia Telegdy’s contested three-point attempt from the top of the key as time expired missed off the rim.

The statistical sheet underscored the defensive battle. Florida Atlantic shot just 30.9% from the floor, making 10 of 33 from beyond the arc. Western Kentucky was slightly better at 36% overall but was hampered by 4-of-17 shooting from three-point range. Both teams posted offensive ratings below 70 in a choppy, possession-by-possession contest.

Moors, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand, orchestrated the Florida Atlantic offense with six assists to go with six points in 37 minutes. Destyne Jackson, a Lexington native, added nine points for the Owls.

For Western Kentucky, Jeniffer Silva provided a first-half boost with 10 points and two blocks before fouling out. Caleigh-Rose West of Orlando contributed eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.

The win defied the pregame projections from Interstat’s ELO system, which gave Western Kentucky an 86.70 percent probability to win at home.

A crowd of 670 watched at E.A. Diddle Arena as Florida Atlantic continued its trend of close games, having played in three contests decided by three points or fewer already this season. Western Kentucky, meanwhile, was left to rue missed chances and the costly third-quarter lapse.

Florida Atlantic will next host Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 12. Western Kentucky begins a three-game road swing at Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 7.