Game Details
USF 82, FIU 73
FIU (8-3), USF (8-2)
Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Miami, Florida | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team dropped its first home contest of the year, and in doing so had its 10-game home winning streak snapped, as USF outlasted the Panthers 82-73 on Tuesday night at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The loss drops FIU to 8-3 on the year while the Bulls improve to 8-2 overall.  
 
- FIU trailed in the second half by as many as 23 points, twice, the second time coming as late as 12:38 left in the game, 62-39, on a jumper by USF's Antun Maricevic. The Panthers, however, didn't go away as they battled back putting together an 18-2 run to cut the Bulls lead to seven points, 64-57, on two made free throws by Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio), and then again on an Andrews driving layup with 6:08 remaining in the contest to make the score, 67-60. Unfortunately for FIU that was as close as it got the rest of the way.
 
- The Panthers could not overcome their second worst shooting night of the season, hitting at just a 39.6 percent (21-for-53) from the field and 21.7 percent (5-for-23) from behind the three-point arc, and a season-high 24 turnovers, their most since recording 28 miscues against Louisiana Tech on February 14, 2015. USF shot 54.3 percent (25-for-46) from the field, including a blistering 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from behind the arc in the win, despite turning the ball over 33 times, the most turnovers forced by FIU in the last 16-plus years.
 
- Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) and Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) shared team-high scoring honors with 13 points apiece, while Andrews and Willy Nunez, Jr. (Orlando, Florida) each chipped in with 10 points apiece. Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California), who came into the game ranked 20^th in the nation in scoring, averaging 22.6 points-per-game, scored just four points, the lowest point total of his collegiate career.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina); G Brian  Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California); F Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio); F, Willy Nunez, Jr. (Orlando, Florida); and C Elhadji Dieng (Mbour, Senegal) … FIU is 2-2 with this lineup on the year.

- Beard. Jr.'s three steals on the night gives him 128 for his career moving him into sixth all-time in school history, surpassing Mark Hollin (1981-85) … In addition, his four assists gives him 251 for his career, five shy of tying Patrick McDonald (1982-86) for third all-time in program history.

- Trejon Jacob's 13 points marks his seventh double-figure scoring performance of the season and the 31^st of his FIU career.

- Willy Nunez, Jr.'s 10 points marks his 12^th double-figure scoring performance in 17 career games for the Panthers. 

Up Next
The Panthers will close out their three-game homestand, before heading into the holiday break, on Dec. 20, against Florida Memorial. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

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