Sophomore point guard Kristian Hudson (Birmingham, Alabama) hit a three-point basket just inside the midcourt stripe to end an epic triple-overtime game and give FIU its first home-winning streak in four years in an 88-87 victory Thursday night over visiting UTEP in Conference USA women's basketball action. The triple was Hudson's only made three of the game and gave her a career-high 35 points in the win. The FIU record is now 4-11 overall, 2-2 in league play. UTEP falls to 4-12 on the season, 1-3 in C-USA games. It was FIU's first win over UTEP in four previous tries as conference opponents.
 
FIU's last home-win streak came in 2013, with wins over Florida Atlantic and WKU in February of that year. The last winning streak of any kind for the Panthers was in the Conference USA Tournament in 2014, when FIU won three games to advance to the semifinals in El Paso.
 
Hudson followed up her then-career-mark of 21 points last Saturday in the Panthers' last contest, a nine-point win over FAU. Hudson was 11-for-20 on the night, playing all 55 minutes, a school-record, and 12-for-13 from the free throw line in the victory. She also tied her career-high with 10 assists for her second-career double-double. She added eight rebounds in the herculean effort.
 
It was the first 35-point performance by a Panther at Lime Court at FIU Arena since Jerica Coley scored 35 against Marshall on February 22, 2014.
 
"My teammates kept looking for me tonight and for me, hitting shots is just repetition." Hudson said. "I am always shooting in the gym and working with Coach Joe (Silvestri). Our team gave everything we had tonight. We were really locked in. We are really starting to play together."
 
FIU had the lead in all three overtime periods, but trailed late in the first and third extra frames. Senior Janka Hegedus (Budapest, Hungary) made a back-door cut for an easy layup to tie the game at 62 with seven seconds remaining at the end of regulation.
 
"They won this game with defense," said FIU Head Coach Tiara Malcom. "Every time UTEP went down and hit a big shot, our ladies came down and hit a big shot. It was on me to remain calm and show them to be calm. We took it possession by possession and won this game by playing good defense."
 
Senior Tianah Alvarado (St. Petersburg, Florida / Gulf Coast State) knocked down the first jumper of overtime, a three-pointer for the Panthers.
 
"You basically have to give it all you have and leave it on the floor," said Alvarado. "It was great to see shots falling like they did. I have never played a triple-overtime game before."
 
At the end of the first overtime, UTEP grabbed a two-point lead with seven seconds remaining, but fouled Hudson as she dribbled up the court, which put her on the line for two shots. She knocked down both with 5.5 seconds to go to tie the game and the Miners could not get a good look at the basket.
 
"I don't even look when there are free throws in that situation," said Head Coach Tiara Malcom. "I heard the crowd tell me that they went in."
 
FIU knocked down the first two field goals of the second overtime, but could not score in the final 3:35 of the period. UTEP knocked down all four free throws in the period and that was all the scoring the teams could muster, heading to the third and final period tied at 79.
 
It was UTEP that scored first in the third OT, but a pair of three-point baskets by freshman Alexis Gordon (Palm Bay, Florida / Covenant Christian) kept the Panthers in the period. The two teams went without scoring a point from the 1:39 mark in the third overtime until a Sparkle Taylor jumper gave UTEP the lead with three seconds left. That's when Hudson, eyeing the clock, dribbled to half court and launched an uncontested jumper from just outside the tipoff circle in the front court that rimmed in for the win.
 
Alvarado finished with a season-high 21, with Gordon adding 15 and Hegedus posting 10 points. It's the second time this season that four Panthers were in double figures. FIU outrebounded UTEP, 48-45.
 
FIU hosts UTSA Saturday at 2 p.m. to complete the league home stand.
 
For women's basketball ticket information, contact the FIU Ticket Office at 305-FIU-GAME or log onto www.FIUSports.com.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWBB) 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).
 
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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 FIU Arena and at the FIU Football 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 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. 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/.