Game Details
Hartford 79, FIU 72
FIU (6-7), Hartford (6-7)
Miami, Fla. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) led three players in double figures for FIU, with a game-high 20 points, but the Panthers could not hold off Hartford down the stretch as the Blue and Gold closed out their non-conference schedule with a 79-72 loss to Hartford on Friday night at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. FIU drops to 6-7 on the year while the Hawks improve to 6-7.
 
- In addition to Jacob, Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) added 17 points and Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia) chipped in with 16 points in the loss. Hassan Hussein (Lorton, Virginia) had six points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
 
- After going to the intermission tied at 34-all, the Panthers came out in the second half and pushed the lead to as much as a five-point edge, 43-38, six minutes in. The Hawks, however, used a 10-4 run to take the lead for good, 48-47. Hartford never looked back as it extended its advantage to a game-high 13 points, 70-57, with just over five minutes remaining.
 
- The Panthers didn't go quietly, however, putting together a 13-4 run, to cut the Hartford lead to two points, 74-72, with 36 seconds left, behind eight Jacob points and four  from Beard, Jr., but that was as close as the Panthers got. The Hawks iced the game by hitting 5-for-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch.
 
- Despite being outrebounded by one, 29-28, by Hartford, the Panthers held an 11-5 advantage in offensive boards that led to only seven second-chance points. FIU also took advantage of the Hawks' 15 turnovers, recording 20 points off the miscues.   
 
Stat of the Game
FIU shot 46.6 percent from the field (25-for-58), its fifth-best field goal percentage of the season, however Hartford hit a blistering 62 percent (31-for-50) from the floor on the night.  
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina), G Brian Beard, Jr., G Eric Lockett, F Hassan Hussein (Lorton, Virginia), and C Elhadji Dieng (Mbour, Senegal) … The Panthers are 2-6 with this starting five.

- G Trejon Jacob netted double-figures for the 11^th time this season with his 20 points.

- G Eric Lockett's 16 points marks his 12^th double-figure scoring game of the season and the 16^th of his career … Lockett has netted double figures in 14 of his last 16 games, dating back to the end 2016-17 season.

- Lockett also fell just one assist shy of equaling his career-high for assists with his six against the Hawks.

- G Brian Beard, Jr.'s 17 points marks his 11^th double-figure scoring performance of the season, and the 11^th-straight.

- Beard, Jr., once again, had another solid night defensively, recording six steals … It's the third time this season that he has logged six steals.

- Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) scored a career-high six points in the loss against Hartford. 

Up Next
FIU will take a break for the holiday before returning to begin Conference USA play against C-USA rival Florida Atlantic on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. The Panthers will also face Middle Tennessee on Jan. 4 (7 p.m.) and UAB on Jan. 6 (7 p.m.) to close out FIU's six-game homestand.

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