BOCA RATON, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2012) --- Senior Jeremy Allen and sophomore Phil Taylor scored 20 points each as the FIU men's basketball team (7-15, 4-6 SBC) dismantled intra-state rival Florida Atlantic (9-14, 5-5 SBC), 76-56, on Saturday night at the FAU Arena in Boca Raton, Fla.

Eight points decided the last four games between FIU and FAU, tonight the Panthers won by 20.

Allen, who shot 7-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, notched his sixth 20-point performance of the season and the second-straight 20-point outing versus the Owls. The Detroit, Mich., native registered a game-high three steals to improve his season total to 59 steals (No. 7 all-time at FIU for steals in a single season). Taylor, who made 11-straight free throws in the second half, including six-straight in the final two minutes, posted his seventh 20-point game of the season. The Marietta, Ga., finished the night 13-of-14 from the charity stripe.

Senior DeJuan Wright grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and was one point shy of his third-straight double-double. With the double-digit performance on the boards, the Detroit, Mich., native has now grabbed 10-or-more rebounds in three-straight games. Junior Brandon Moore scored seven points, tallied eight rebounds and registered a game-high three blocked shots. The New Orleans, La., native improved his season total of blocked shots to a team-high 27.

For the fifth-straight game, FIU out-shot its opponent as the Panthers registered a clip of 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the floor to FAU's 34.5 percent (19-of-55).  FIU was dominant in the paint, out-scoring the Owls, 40-20, and out-rebounding Florida Atlantic, 39-31.

The Owls, which shot 6-of-27 from beyond the arc, were led by Greg Gantt, who poured in 21 points. Sharvar Richardson rounded out the scoring for FAU with 10 points. Jordan McCoy corralled a team-high nine boards for the Owls.

FIU entered halftime, trailing by one at 29-28. Ray Taylor hit a running jumper as time expired to give the Owls the one-point, halftime lead. Wright led all Panthers with seven points and four rebounds in the first half, as FIU shot 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from the floor. FAU held a 21-14 advantage on the boards in the first 20 minutes.

The win snapped a five-game losing skid for the Panthers to the Owls and marked the team's first win in Boca Raton since Jan. 15, 2009. It also marked the third-straight road win for the Panthers, who now return home for two-straight.

FIU will host the North Texas Mean Green on Thursday, Feb. 9. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET. Prior to the men's contest, the women's team with face the Mean Green at 4:30 p.m. ET. For FIU men's and women's basketball ticket information, call the FIU ticket office at 305-FIU-GAME or long onto www.FIUSports.com.