Game Details
FIU 71, Louisiana Tech 68
FIU (11-13, 5-6 C-USA), Louisiana Tech (14-10, 5-6 C-USA)
Miami, Florida | Ocean Bank Convocation Center

The Basics
- Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) drained two three-point shots in the final 10 seconds – scoring the final six points of the game – to lead the FIU men's basketball team to a thrilling 71-68 win over Louisiana Tech at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Saturday night. The win improves the Panthers to 11-13 on the year and 5-6 in Conference USA while the Bulldogs drop to 14-10 overall and 5-6 in league play. The victory, FIU's second-straight, gives the Panthers'  back-to-back C-USA wins for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
 
- With FIU leading by one, 65-64 and 21 seconds left in the game, Louisiana Tech's Jy'lan Washington hit two free throws to give the Bulldogs the one-point advantage. On the Panthers' next possession Beard, Jr., who struggled from the field most of the night, missed a jumper with 11 seconds left on the clock. LA Tech's Oliver Powell got the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line where he proceeded to hit his two offerings from the charity stripe, and seemingly put the Bulldogs on top for good, 68-65. But Beard, Jr. redeemed himself and took the inbounds pass, driving the length of the court where he calmly hit a fade-away trey from the top right corner of the arc to tie the game at 68-all with three seconds left. The Panthers got the ball back when Washington received the inbounds pass and stepped out of bounds at mid court with 2.5 seconds left, leading to Beard. Jr.'s buzzer-beating heroics. 

 - Beard, Jr. finished with a game-high 19 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double. Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia) chipped in with 15 points, while Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) and Michael Douglas (Sachse, Texas) added 13 points and 10 points, respectively, in the win.
 
Turning Point of the Game
As big a Beard, Jr.'s two three-point shots in the final 10 seconds were, the game-winner would not have been possible if Louisiana Tech's Jy'lan Washington didn't take the inbounds pass and come down out of bounds giving the Panthers the ball back leading to the buzzer-beater.
   
Stat of the Game
The Panthers struggled from field on the night, despite the win, shooting 39 percent (23-for-59), however hit 52. 9 percent (9-for-17) from behind the arc, and a season-high 80 percent (16-for-20) from the free-throw line.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Trejon Jacob, G Brian Beard, Jr., G Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia), F Hassan Hussein, and F Jay Harvey (Chicago, Illinois) … The Panthers are 4-1 with this starting five.

- With tonight's win over Louisiana Tech, FIU improves its all-time record against the Bulldogs to 5-6. The victory is the second in the last three games against LA Tech.

- The Panthers' back-to-back victories, over Southern Miss on Thursday (76-70) and LA Tech tonight, marks the first Conference USA back-to-back wins for FIU since defeating UTSA (72-56) on Jan. 21, and UTEP (79-69) on Jan. 23, 2016.

- FIU's 80 percent from the charity stripe is its best performance from the line since hitting 93.8 percent (15-for-16) against UTSA on Feb. 23, 2017.
- G Brian Beard, Jr.'s 19 points marks his 22^nd double-figure scoring performance of the season, and his 22^nd-straight.

- Beard, Jr. also handed out a career-high 10 assists, for his first career double-double, to go along with five steals.

- G Trejon Jacob netted double-figures for the 19^th time this season with his 13 points.

- F Mike Douglas's 10 marks his seventh double-figure scoring outing of the season – and the ninth of his career. In addition, it is his sixth game netting 10-or-more points in the last 10 games.

- G Josh Stamps played in his first game since Nov 17, after undergoing right knee surgery earlier in the year. Stamps played 17 minutes and scored eight points and had a steal against LA Tech.  

Up Next

• Following its game against LA Tech, FIU will embark on its longest road stretch of its conference schedule. The Panthers will play three-straight away from the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, beginning on Feb. 8, when it travels to Huntington, West Virginia, to face Marshall at 8 p.m. The Blue and Gold then head to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for a Feb. 10, meeting with WKU at 7 p.m. The Panthers close out the stretch on Feb. 17 when they take on C-USA rival Florida Atlantic at 2 p.m.

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