FINAL STATS (PDF)

MIAMI (Dec. 28, 2013) - The FIU women's basketball team (5-6) routed the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, 79-57, Saturday night in the opening game of the 2013 Sun & Fun Classic from Lime Court at U.S. Century Bank Arena. 

Senior Jerica Coley registered a game-high 21 points, converting on 8-of-18 shooting, while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. The two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and 2013-14 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year extended her streak to 41-straight games scoring in double-figures, dating back to her junior year. It's the 33rd time since the 2012-13 season that Coley has scored 20-or-more points.

Sophomore Taylor Shade posted 16 points, coming two points shy of her season-high, on a 6-of-13 shooting performance, while sinking 4-of-5 from the line. Redshirt sophomore Brianna Wright tied her career-high in points and earned her first-career double-double, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Tynia McKinzie also had a double-double, ending the night with 10 points and a team-high 12 boards.

The Panthers opened the Sun & Fun Classic on a 10-2 run in a 4:02 span and held the Knights scoreless through the first 3:45 of the game. Shade hit a trey just before the 13:30 mark, giving FIU a 13-6 advantage. FDU came within two points, 14-12, before FIU went on an 11-0 run over the course of three minutes, in which four Panthers scored, highlighted by four points from Coley. Shade and redshirt junior Arielle Durant then drained back-to-back baskets to give FIU a 17-point, 30-13, lead with 4:24 to play in the first half. FIU held FDU to 10 points in the final 11:30 of the first, and took a 17-point, 37-20, lead into the break. The Panthers held the Knights to its second-lowest first half points total all season (17, West Virginia).

Coley (3-of-9) and Shade (4-of-6) led all scorers through the first 20 minutes with nine points apiece. McKinzie and Wright each grabbed six boards, while Coley (3-of-3) and Wright (2-of-2) went perfect from the line. FIU shot 34 percent (12-for-35) from the floor and forced eight FDU turnovers while only committing one through the first half. The Panthers out rebounded the Knights 23-16 and forced four steals.

Off a Wright jumper with 16:03 to play in the game, FIU held a 24-point, 47-23, lead. Wright then hit two free-throws, which was followed by a Coley layup, giving FIU a 51-27 edge with just under 14 minutes to play. FIU only surrendered five points to FDU over four minutes and held a 26-point, 62-36, lead inside of nine minutes remaining.  Sophomore Katrina Epnere pushed the Panthers ahead by 30 points, 75-45, with five minutes to play, off a jumper in the paint. Freshman Janka Hegedus converted both shots from the line, keeping the Panthers' lead over 20 points, 77-51, with 2:44 to play.

FIU finished the night shooting 37 percent (25-of-68) and out rebounded FDU, 47-35. The Panthers only hit one trey all night and forced six steals and 14 turnovers. As a team, the Panthers shot 80 percent from the line all night (28-of-35).

The Panthers are back in action tomorrow, playing the winner of tonight's second game between Wake Forest and Florida A&M. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWBasketball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWBasketball) for all the latest FIU women's 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). The official hashtag of the 2013-14 FIU athletic season is PantherNation.

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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 bachelor¹s, master¹s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida¹s 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. FIU has awarded 200,000 degrees and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/