UAB 75, FIU 64
FIU (7-9, 1-2 C-USA), UAB (11-5, 2-1 C-USA)
Miami, Fla. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team swept the season series last year against UAB and looked to start 2018 with its third-straight win over the Blazers. After a tough overtime loss on Thursday to Middle Tennessee, the Panthers could not get back on the winning track, as UAB handed FIU a 75-64 loss at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center to end the Blue and Gold's season-long six-game home stand. The loss is the second consecutive for the Panthers and drops them to 7-9 on the year and 1-2 in Conference USA play. The Blazers improve to 11-5 and 2-1 in C-USA play.  
 
- Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) led the way for FIU with a team-high 17 points while Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) added 16 points, a career-high nine assists and recorded four steals. Kasper Christiansen chipped in with a career-best 11 points, accounting for almost half of the Panthers offensive production off the bench (23 points).
 
- UAB jumped all over FIU from the opening tip taking a 18-2 lead just over six minutes into the game, on a Lewis Sullivan jumper. The Panthers battled back to cut the Blazers' lead to seven points, 28-21, with 7:17 left in the half. UAB, however, scored 12 of the next 17 points to close the half and take a 42-26 lead into the locker room at the intermission.
 
- The Blazers didn't let up in the second half, extending their lead to as many as 24 points early in the second half. Like in the first half, the Panthers fought to get back into the game, cutting the lead to 11 points, 71-60, on three of Christiansen's 11 points, however that was as close at FIU could get the rest of the way. 
 
- On the night, FIU shot just 38.2 percent (21-for-55) from the field, including 37.9 percent (11-for-29) from behind the three-point arc, and 50 percent (11-for-22) from the charity stripe. The Blazers also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Panthers 41-29. Despite the offensive rebounds being even at 10 apiece, UAB produced a 13-5 scoring edge on second-chance points.
 
Stat of the Game
UAB dominated the inside game against the Panthers, holding a 42-18 scoring advantage in points in the paint.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob, G Brian Beard, Jr., G Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia), F Hassan Hussein (Lorton, Virginia), and C Elhadji Dieng (Mbour, Senegal) … The Panthers are 3-8 with this starting five.

- FIU's loss to UAB snaps the Panthers' two-game winning streak over the Blazers.

- G Trejon Jacob netted double-figures for the 14^th time this season with his 17 points.

- G Brian Beard, Jr.'s 16 points marks his 14^th double-figure scoring performance of the season, and the 14^th-straight.

- Beard, Jr. also handed out a career-high nine assists, surpassing his previous best of eight set in the Conference USA opener against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 30.

- F Kasper Christiansen (Frederiksberg, Denmark) had the best game of his collegiate career, netting a 11 points and grabbing two rebounds in 19 minutes of play, all career-highs. Christiansen was 3-for-5 from the field – all from three-point range – and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line. 

Up Next
FIU will embark on its first Conference USA road trip of the season - and the first of two swing trips to Texas during a three-week stretch - when it travels to play UTSA on Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET) and UTEP on Jan. 13 (9 p.m. ET). The Panthers return to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Jan. 18 to face Old Dominion (7 p.m., ESPN3) and Charlotte on Jan. 20 (7 p.m.).

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

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