Box Score Game Details
Middle Tennessee 71, FIU 66 (ot)
FIU (7-8, 1-1 C-USA), Middle Tennessee (10-4, 2-0 C-USA)
Miami, Fla. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team held Conference USA's leading scorer to just 10 points through regulation, however the Panthers could not overcome a 52 percent shooting performance from the free throw line as Middle Tennessee handed FIU a tough 71-66 loss on Thursday night at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The loss drops the Panthers to 7-8 on the year and evens their record to 1-1 in C-USA play. The Blue Raiders improve to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in league play.
 
- FIU came out in the second half and pushed its edge to a game-high nine points just 90 seconds in on a three-point shot by Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina). Middle Tennessee, however put together a 25-15 run to take a one-point edge with 7:01 left in regulation, a lead that the Blue Raiders would hold for the majority of the final seven minutes of the second half, but by no more than three points. After a Middle Tennessee layup by Brandon Walters put the Blue Raiders up two points with 1:11 left, Beard, Jr. knotted the contest up at 58 with 13 ticks left on the clock. MT's Giddy Potts had one last opportunity for the game-winner, however missed a jumper from the top of the key.   
 
- In the overtime session, the Blue Raiders outscored the Panthers 13-8, behind seven points from Nick King who came into the game averaging 23.8 points-per-game, tops in Conference USA. Through the first 40 minutes of action, King had scored just 10 points – six in the first half and four in the second – but he took over in the extra session going 3-for-4 from the field and hitting his only free throw attempt.
 
- The Panthers led by as many as seven points, 12-5, with 12:08 left in the half on a Lockett dunk off a Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) assist, one of three handouts in the game. FIU, however would go scoreless for nearly four minutes, allowing the Blue Raiders to battle back and eventually tie the game at 14-all after a 9-2 run.  
 
- Jacob led four players in double figures with a team-high 16 points, while Beard, Jr. added 14 points in the loss. Michael Douglas (Sachse, Texas) chipped in with 12 points and Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia) added 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for his third season and career double-double. 
 
Stat(s) of the Game
FIU controlled the paint outscoring the Blue Raiders, 38-32 in the lane, and took advantage of 13 Middle Tennessee turnovers that led to a 16-9 edge in points off the miscues. The Panthers, however, shot just 52 percent (13-for-25) from the line for the game, including 14.3 percent (1-for-7) in the first half and 0-for-1 in overtime.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob, G Brian Beard, Jr., G Eric Lockett, F Hassan Hussein (Lorton, Virginia), and C Elhadji Dieng (Mbour, Senegal) … The Panthers are 3-7 with this starting five.

- Tonight's loss to Middle Tennessee marks the fifth-straight setback to the Blue Raiders for FIU … The last time that FIU defeated Middle Tennessee was on March 5, 2015, a 59-54 triumph in Miami.

- The Panthers played their third overtime game of the season … The loss marks their 11^th-straight extra session loss.

- G Eric Lockett's 11 points marks his 13^th double-figure scoring game of the season and the 17^th of his career … Lockett has netted double figures in 15 of his last 17 games, dating back to the end 2016-17 season.

- Lockett also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds which marks his third career double-double.

- G Trejon Jacob netted double-figures for the 13^th time this season with his 16 points.

- G Brian Beard, Jr.'s 14 points marks his 13^th double-figure scoring performance of the season, and the 13^th-straight.

 - F Michael Douglas tallied his second double-figure scoring performance of the year, and the fourth of his career, with his 12 points against Middle Tennessee.   

Up Next
The Panthers will close out their season-long six-game home stand on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. when it faces UAB at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center ... FIU will embark on its first Conference USA road trip of the season – and the first of two swing trips to Texas – when it travels to play UTSA on Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET) and UTEP on Jan. 13 (9 p.m. ET).

For ticket information or to purchase your tickets today, please visit FIUSports.com or call 305-FIU-GAME.

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