Game Details
Ohio 68, FIU 66
FIU (9-4), Ohio (8-4)
Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 | 2 p.m.
Athens, Ohio | Ohio University Convocation Center
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The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball returned to the hardwood on Sunday from its nine-day Christmas break to start a three-game road stretch at Ohio University, in its final non-conference game of the season. The Panthers knew coming into the contest that the game would be no small task as the Bobcats defeated the defending Conference USA champions, Marshall, by 17 points earlier in the season in Athens, Ohio. In the end, the Panthers put themselves in position to pull off what would have been a big road win, however, the Bobcats had other ideas as they pulled out a hard-fought 68-66 win over FIU at the Ohio University Convocation Center.Â
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- The Panthers held a 66-63 lead with 3:06 left in the contest on a rebound put back by
Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida), the final time that FIU would score the rest of the afternoon. The Bobcats converted on their next possession, and then tied the game at 66-all with 1:06 left on two free throws. FIU had two opportunities with less than a minute left to take the lead, but a driving layup by
Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) deep in the lane with 47 seconds left, and the offensive rebound put back by Osaghae could not be converted. Ohio's Jason Carter would hit the game-winner with two seconds on the clock.
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- FIU trailed by as many as 12 points, twice, in the second half before making its run and taking its first lead of the contest, 54-53, on a Jacob jumper with 8:19 left.
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- Beard, Jr. finished with a team-high 13 points while
Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio) added 11 points in his Buckeye State homecoming. Osaghae, had seven points and a game-high 13 rebounds, including six on the offensive boards. Osaghae came into the contest seventh in the nation in offensive rebounds-per-game, averaging 3.9. Â Â
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- The Panthers got off to a slow start to begin the game and trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, 36-25, with 2:39 left in the stanza. Trailing Ohio by nine, 26-17, FIU used an 8-0 run to cut the Bobcats' lead to one, 26-25, on back-to-back three's by
Marcus Burwell (Richmond, Virginia) and a layup by
Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California). Unfortunately for FIU, Ohio settled down and used its own 8-0 run to push the lead back to nine, before entering halftime with a 38-31 lead.
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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 3-3 with this lineup on the year.
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- Beard. Jr.'s five steals against Ohio gives him 136 for his career which is sixth all-time in school history … In addition, his six assists gives him 263 for his career, one shy of moving into a tie for second all-time with Dwight Stewart (1988-93).
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Devon Andrews' 11 points was his 10th double figure scoring performance of his career and his third-straight.
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Osasumwen Osaghae's 13 rebounds was his third double-figure rebounding performance of his career … His 13 boards is two shy of his career-high set against Milwaukee on Nov. 13, 2018.
Following its meeting with Ohio, FIU will begin Conference USA play at Middle Tennessee on Jan. 3, at 7:30 p.m. before heading to Birmingham, Alabama to face UAB on Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. ... FIU returns home on Thursday, Jan. 10, when it faces Charlotte in the first game of a two-game C-USA weekend homestand, along with Old Dominion on Jan. 12 ... Both games are at 7 p.m.
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