Game Details
FIU 67, Rice 64  
FIU (13-16, 7-9 C-USA), Rice (6-23, 3-13 C-USA)
Miami, Florida | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team closed out its 2017-18 home schedule on Saturday night with a thrilling 67-64 win over Rice at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The win, the Panthers' fifth-straight Conference USA victory at home, improves their record to 13-16 overall and 7-9 in C-USA, while Rice drops to 6-23 on the year and 3-13 in league play. FIU's five-consecutive conference wins at home marks the first time since joining C-USA that they have accomplished the feat, and the first time since the 1997-98 campaign that they have won five or more league games at home. That season, FIU won all eight of its conference games at FIU Arena.
 
- FIU trailed the majority of the game, including by as much as 11 points during the second half, however the Panthers saved its most exciting basketball for the final six minutes of the game. Trailing by seven points, 60-53, with 6:07 left in the contest, FIU put together an 10-2 run to take its first lead, 63-62, since holding a 2-0 advantage off the opening tip. After Rice's Najja Hunter hit two free throws to give the Owls the lead back, the Panthers took the lead back for good when Hassan Hussein (Lorton, Virginia) took a pass from Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) and scored on a layup, putting FIU up one, 65-64 with 36 seconds left. Eric Lockett (Warner Robbins, Georgia) put the game away for the Panthers hitting two free throws with 21 seconds left on the clock.
 
- FIU shot 46.4 percent from the field for the game (26-for-56) and 73.3 percent (11-for-15) from the charity stripe. The Panthers, however only hit at a 22.2 percent (4-for-18) clip from behind the three-point line.
 
- Josh Stamps (Chicago, Illinois) tied his career-high while also leading the Panthers in scoring with 15 points off the bench. Lockett added 14 points, and Beard, Jr. and Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
 
- Lockett grabbed nine rebounds to lead FIU and Beard. Jr. handed out seven assists and had five steals to go along with his 13 points.
   
Stat of the Game
As tight as the game was between FIU and Rice – four lead changes and two ties – the Owls controlled most of the contest, holding the lead for 36:04 minutes, while FIU was on top for just 1:17 all night.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob, G Brian Beard, Jr., G Eric Lockett, F Michael Douglas (Sachse, Texas), and F Jay Harvey (Chicago, Illinois) … The Panthers are 2-0 with this starting five.
 
- FIU's win over Rice evens the all-time series between the two schools at 3-3 … The victory also snaps a three-game losing streak to the Owls.
 
- With his 14 points, G Eric Lockett has scored double-figures in 26 games during his career with FIU, and in 24 of the last 32 games dating back to last season.
 
- After finding himself scoring in single digits on Thursday for just the second time this season, G Brian Beard, Jr. netted double-digits in the scoring column for the 26^th time in 28 games played with his 13 points against Rice.
 
- G Trejon Jacob netted double-figures for the 23^rd time this season with his 12 points.
 
- G Josh Stamps scored in double figures for the third game of his career with his career-high tying 15 points.  
 
Up Next
The Panthers conclude the regular season with two games on the road, at Charlotte on Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.), and Old Dominion on Feb. 3 (7 p.m.).

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