Box Score  MIAMI (Feb. 16, 2013) – A pair of 20-point performances by junior Tymell Murphy and freshman Jerome Frink helped guide the FIU men's basketball team (14-12, 9-8 SBC) to the team's ninth conference victory with an 87-82 win over the WKU Hilltoppers (13-14, 7-9 SBC) on Saturday night at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
 
Murphy, who shot 7-of-10 from the floor, and Frink, who drained 7-of-12 from the field, each scored 20 points as FIU snapped a two-game losing streak and picked up its first win over the Hilltoppers at home since Jan. 8, 2009.
 
The win also marked the team's ninth SBC victory, tying the school record for the most league wins (9) since FIU joined the Sun Belt in 1998-1999.  
 
Joining Murphy and Frink in double-figure scoring were junior Malik Smith (17 pts.) and senior Cameron Bell (10 pts.). Smith hit 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and went 5-of-9 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Bell notched eight of his 10 points from the free-throw line.
 
For the game, FIU shot 57.4 percent from the floor (27-of-47) and 47.1 percent from 3-point range (8-of-17). The Panthers converted 25-of-33 attempts from the free-throw line (75.8 percent). The 25 made free throws were the most for the Panthers this season.
 
WKU shot 50.0 percent from the floor (25-of-50) and 38.1 percent from 3-point land (8-of-21). The Hilltoppers made 24 of their 33 attempts from the free-throw line for a free-throw percentage of 72.7.
 
The Panthers jumped out to 10-2 lead to start the game, capped by a 3-pointer by Smith with 16:38 on the clock. FIU maintained its lead midway through the first half before a 3-pointer by T.J. Price gave WKU its first lead of the contest. Both teams exchanged baskets and the lead seven times before another trey by Smith with 2:33 left in the first half gave FIU a 36-33 advantage. FIU would hold onto its lead heading into halftime, 42-38.
 
For the half, FIU shot 62.5 percent from the floor (15-of-24) and was led by Murphy who had 14 points. The Hilltoppers finished the first half shooting 60.0 percent from the floor (12-of-20) with Teeng Akol lead WKU with nine points.
 
The Panthers came out the second half, extending their lead to 10 points, 54-44, as senior Tola Akomolafe drained a 3-pointer with 15:36 left to play. Leading by as many as 15 points, FIU held onto its lead for the team's ninth home victory of the season.
 
WKU held an edge in rebounding, 33-22, while the Panthers out-scored the Hilltoppers in the paint, 32-20. FIU forced 16 WKU turnovers resulting in 16 points.
 
The win snapped a three-game losing skid to the Hilltoppers ,while giving FIU 14 victories for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.
 
FIU will next host the UALR Trojans on Thursday, Feb. 21, at U.S. Century Bank Arena in the team's final home game of the 2012-2013 regular season. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
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).
 
 
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