Box Score CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (Nov. 11, 2012) – A 19-5 run by the Eagles to close out the game handed the FIU men's basketball team (0-1) an 84-70 loss to Boston College (1-0) on Sunday afternoon at the Silvio O. Conte Forum.

A 3-pointer by junior Malik Smith with 8:40 left in the game erased a 16-point halftime deficit for the Panthers. However, the Panthers converted just two buckets in the final eight minutes, resulting in the season-opening loss.

Smith poured in 16 points in his FIU debut, shooting 5-of-13 from the floor, while draining four treys. Freshman Jerome Frink recorded the first double-double of his career, tallying a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Jersey City, N.J., native shot 6-of-13 from the floor and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. Rounding out the double-digit scoring for FIU was senior Tola Akomolafe, who notched 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

For the game, FIU shot 39.0 percent (23-of-59) from the floor and 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from 3-point land. The Panthers converted 15-of-19 from the free-throw line (78.9 percent).

Boston College was led by Ryan Anderson, who posted game-highs in both points (29) and rebounds (17). The Eagles shot 44.4 percent (26-of-58) from the field.

Out-rebounded 46-28, the Panthers allowed 21 second-chance point while the Eagles scored 42 points in the paint to just 20 for FIU.

FIU forced 17 Boston College turnovers resulting in 15 points for the Panthers. Akomolafe and sophomore Deric Hill led FIU with two steals apiece.

Scoring 19 of their 35 total points in the second half from the charity stripe, Boston College converted 30-of-39 from the line for the game. 

The Panthers will host the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks on Saturday, Nov. 17 in the home opener. Game time is set for 2 p.m. ET, at the U.S. Century Bank Arena in
Miami, Fla.

Fans are encouraged to follow @FIUMensBBall on Twitter, and "Like" FIU men's basketball on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/FIU-Mens-Basketball) for the latest Panther basketball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics). 

For FIU men's basketball ticket information, contact the FIU Ticket Office at 305-FIU-GAME or log on to www.FIUSports.com.
 
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.