MIAMI (January 14, 2017) -- FIU cut an 18-point, fourth-quarter deficit down to six points in a furious comeback bid, but after playing three overtimes Thursday, the Panthers could not overcome an off shooting performance and fell 70-61 to UTSA to finish a Conference USA women's basketball home stand Saturday afternoon on Lime Court at FIU Arena.
 
The Panthers ran out of energy in the second half as shots rimmed out on the basket they scored 57 points on in the second half and overtime periods on Thursday. FIU dropped to 4-12 on the season, 2-3 in C-USA. The loss was the first at home in league for the Panthers. UTSA has won three in a row and is a level 8-8 overall, 4-1 in league play.
 
After hitting three of its first four three-point tries in the fourth quarter, UTSA got the lead out to 18 before FIU scored the next 12 points in a period of 4:10 to knock the lead down to six, but ran out of time to complete the comeback.
 
"I would have to say that I was disappointed with our energy and focus today," said FIU Head Coach Tiara Malcom. "We had tired legs, but when we missed open shots, we did not get back and play solid defense and we have to be consistent in that area to compete in games like today. When we made our comeback, that was what we were doing well, we just didn't do enough of it."
 
FIU hit its first five shots of the game and got out to a quick 10-7 lead, but UTSA forced FIU into a scoreless drought of nearly three minutes for a quick 15-12 lead. In the final minute of the period, sophomore Kristian Hudson (Birmingham, Alabama) knocked down a three-pointer to tie the frame at 15. The Panthers had assists for all seven made field goals in the opening period.
 
The defenses tightened as they figured out one another's game plan. After the teams started 3-for-8 shooting combined, the offenses cranked up as both squads shot a combined 4-for-6. The Panthers were then held scoreless for nearly four minutes in the second to lose the lead, as the triple overtime from Thursday showed up in short shots and intercepted passes. UTSA went on an 11-0 run until freshman Alexis Gordon (Palm Bay, Florida / Covenant Christian) hit a three to pull the game to six at the break, 35-29.
 
Hudson, senior Janka Hegedus (Budapest, Hungary) and redshirt sophomore Kiandre'a Pound (Gifford, Florida / Sebastian River HS) all had six points at the break.
 
The Roadrunners reeled off the first 11 points of the second half to push the lead to 15 in the first three minutes of the frame. Shots for FIU were rimming out or blocked and the Panthers started 0-for-14, until freshman Kayla Rogers (Jacksonville, Florida / Jean Ribault HS) got a layup and a foul for the three-point play to cut the lead to 16, at 49-33.  The Panthers finished the period on an 10-3 run after back-to-back three-pointers from Alvarado and Hegedus and an Alvarado bucket at the third-quarter buzzer to trim the lead down to 11, 52-41. FIU held UTSA scoreless in the final 2:26 of the period.
 
The Roadrunners shot .421 in the game, including 7-for-16 from three-point range. FIU managed to shoot .386, thanks to a .545 fourth quarter.
 
Rogers led FIU in scoring, with 14 points. Hegedus added 12 and Hudson scored 11 with 10 rebounds for her second-consecutive double-double.
 
The Panthers will be on the road for the next three games, starting at Middle Tennessee next Thursday.
 
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/.