Game Details
FIU 83, Middle Tennessee 76
FIU (10-4, 1-0 C-USA), Middle Tennessee (3-11, 0-1 C-USA)
Thursday, Jan. 3, 2018 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Murfreesboro, Tennessee | The Murphy Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team used a 24-4 second half run on Thursday night to fuel a thrilling 83-76 come-from-behind win over Middle Tennessee in the Conference USA opener for both schools at The Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Panthers improve to 10-4 on the year and 1-0 in C-USA while the Blue Raiders drop to 3-11 overall and 0-1 in league play.
 
- Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) led four players in double figures pouring in a game-high 28 points, including 15 in the second half, while Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) added 20 points. Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio) and Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina) chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
- Trailing by a game-high 14 points, 58-44, with 12:51 left in the game, the Panthers proceeded to go on 24-4 run to take control and taking their biggest lead of the contest, 78-67, with 2:22 left, on a three-pointer by Jacob. During the nearly 10 and a half minute stretch, FIU forced Middle Tennessee into six of its 21 turnovers on the night. The Blue Raiders did not threaten the rest of the way. FIU found its shooting touch in the final 20 minutes of play, hitting 55.9 percent (19-of34) from the field, including 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from behind the three-point arc, to go along with 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the charity stripe.
 
- FIU started the game strong jumping out to a 12-4 lead on a three-point shot by Beard, Jr. for three of his 13 first half points. Middle Tennessee, however, battled back to take its first lead of the game, 27-24, on a trey by Donovan Sims with 8:04 left in the half. The Blue Raiders would maintain the edge for most of the final eight minutes, taking a 33-31 lead into the locker room at the break.  
 
- In addition to his 28 points, Beard Jr. dished out a game-high seven assists, giving his 270 for his career and moving him into sole possession of second place on FIU's all-time assist list, surpassing Dwight Stewart (1988-93). He sits second only to Carlos Arroyo (1997-2001) who finished his career with 459 assists, however those came over four years. Beard, Jr. accomplished the feat in just 45 career games for FIU.
 
- Jacob and Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) each shared team rebounding honors with seven apiece.


 
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 4-3 with this lineup on the year.

- FIU's 83-76 Conference USA win over Middle Tennessee improves its record in conference openers, all-time, to 13-15 … The Panthers have won four of their last five lid lifters, and are 6-4 in their last 10 conference openers.

- FIU's win was its seventh come-from-behind win of the season in its 10 total victories.

- The Panthers forced their opponent into 20-or-more turnovers for the ninth time this season, with Middle Tennessee's 21 on the night … It was the fourth-straight game that FIU's opponent had at least 20 turnovers, the longest such stretch of the season … The Blue Raiders' 21 miscues led to FIU holding a 21-7 points-of-turnover margin.

- FIU tied its season-low with just 10 turnovers (Johnson & Wales, Nov. 9)

- Brian Beard, Jr.'s 28 points marks his 41^st career double figure scoring game … In addition, it was Beard, Jr.'s 17^th career 20-plus point game.

- Beard. Jr.'s two steals against the Blue Raiders gives him 138 for his career, two shy of tying Gene Derkack (1995-99) for fifth all-time on FIU's career steals list.

- With his 20 points, Trejon Jacob has scored in double figures for the ninth time this season and the 33^rd time in his 45-game FIU career … It is also his third 20-plus point scoring outing of the year, and the ninth of his career

- Devon Andrews' 12 points was his 11^th double figure scoring performance of his career and his fourth-straight.

- Antonio Daye, Jr. 11 points marks his fifth double-figure scoring game of his short career at FIU. 

Up Next
Following the game against the Blue Raiders, FIU will travel 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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