Game Details
FIU 77, WKU 76
FIU (12-6, 3-2 C-USA), WKU (8-9, 1-3 C-USA)
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 | 8 p.m. ET
Bowling Green, Kentucky | E.A. Diddle Arena
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team came from 16 points down with 11:29 left in the second half to stun WKU –and its 5,102 faithful at E.A. Diddle Arena – 77-76, on Thursday night, in the first game of a crucial three-game Conference USA road stretch for the Panthers. FIU improves to 12-6 on the year and 3-2 in C-USA while the Hilltoppers drop to 8-9 overall and 1-3 in league play.   


 
- After WKU's Josh Anderson put the Hilltoppers up one, 76-75, with 16 seconds remaining, on a rebound put-back, FIU's Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) took the ball the length of the court and scored the game-winner on a driving baseline layup with nine seconds left on the clock. WKU had a desperation three-point attempt go wide right of the rim as time expired.
 
- Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) led the Panthers with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for his third double-double of his career. Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina) fell one-point shy of his career-high with 15 points, 12 coming in the second half, Beard, Jr. finished with 14 points, and Willy Nunez, Jr. (Orlando, Florida) and Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio) chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively. 
 
- The Panthers got out of the gate quickly to start the game, taking an 8-0 lead on two Beard, Jr. three-pointers and a Daye, Jr. driving layup, almost two and a half minutes into the contest. The Hilltoppers, however battled back and used an 8-0 run to take a 28-24 lead with just over five minutes left in the half. WKU would hit nine of its last 10 shots of the first half to take a 43-34 lead into the locker room at the intermission. The Hilltoppers hit for 59.3 percent (16-for-27) from the field in the first stanza, including an impressive 60.0 percent (6-for-10) from behind the three-point arc. The Panthers were 42.3 percent (11-for-26) from the floor, however just 28.6 percent (4-for-14) from three-point range in the first 20 minutes.
 
- The Hilltoppers seemingly started to take control, to start the second half, keeping the Panthers down double-figures until taking their biggest lead of the game, 60-44, after WKU's Tolu Smith connected on two free-throws with 11:29 left in the contest. With FIU Head Coach Jeremy Ballard stressing getting back into the contest "one stop at a time," the Panthers chipped away, getting the WKU lead to single digits, 66-58, on two made Daye, Jr. free throws with 8:22 on the clock. FIU regained the lead with 1:34 left, 73-72, on a rebound dunk by Osaghae. WKU and FIU would exchange free throws on the next two possessions before Beard, Jr.'s heroics.
 
- FIU, who has been outrebounded 13 times in 17 games this season, and in its last five-straight coming into tonight, held a slight 38-36 rebounding advantage, including an 11-8 margin on the offensive glass. Those 11 offensive rebounds proved to be critical against the Hilltoppers, leading to 13 second-chance points.  
 
- FIU's come-from-behind win against WKU is its ninth of the season … In addition, the 16-point deficit is the largest come-from-behind win this season, surpassing the Florida Gulf Coast win (W, 81-80) when the Panthers trailed by 15.
 
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, Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina); and C Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) … FIU is 2-2 with this lineup on the year.

- With FIU's 77-76 win over WKU, the Panthers improve its record in the all-time series to 8-34, and have won two of their last four games against the Hilltoppers, and two of their last three at E.A. Diddle Arena.

- Brian Beard, Jr.'s 14 points marks his 43^rd career double figure scoring game.

- Beard, Jr.'s one steal against the Monarchs gives him 150 for his career … He is currently in sole possession of fourth all-time on FIU's career steals list surpassing Patrick McDonald (147, 1982-86) … Next up is Dwight Stewart in third place (172, 1988-91).

- In addition, Beard, Jr.'s four assists gives him 294 for his FIU career – in just 49 career games … He sits second on the Panthers' all-time assist list behind Carlos Arroyo (459, 1997-01).  

- Through tonight's game with WKU, Osaghae has 76 career blocked shots moving him into sole possession of fifth all-time in school history, surpassing Taurance Johnson (74, 2001-04).

- In addition, Osaghae's 10-rebound effort tonight against WKU is his fifth double-figure rebounding game of his career.

- Osaghae's 16 points marks his eighth double-figure scoring performance of the season and the 11^th of his career.

- Willy Nunez, Jr.'s 12 points marks his 14^th double-figure scoring performance in 24 career games for the Panthers, and his first since netting 22 points against Florida Memorial on Dec. 20, 2018.

- Antonio Daye, Jr.'s 15 points marks the eighth double-figure scoring performance of his short FIU career, and his fourth in the last five games. 

Up Next
The Panthers now head to Huntington, West Virginia, to face Marshall on Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. FIU closes out its three-game road stretch at Florida Atlantic on Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. The Panthers return home for a three-game homestand, beginning on Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. against FAU.

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