Game Details
FIU 86, Rice 65
FIU (15-11, 6-7 C-USA), Rice (10-16, 5-8 C-USA)
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 | 7 p.m. ET
Miami, Florida | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team placed three players in double figures, led by Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio) and his 25 points, but it was the Panthers' defense that was on full display on Thursday night, as FIU got back on the winning track with a crucial 86-65 Conference USA win over Rice at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The win, which snapped the Panthers' short two-game losing streak, improves FIU to 15-11 overall and 6-7 in C-USA, while the Owls drop to 10-16 overall and 5-8 in league play.
 
- The Panthers forced the Owls into a season-high 33 turnovers, a total that is also tied for the most by an FIU opponent this season. The blue and gold took full advantage of Rice's miscues, scoring 38 points off the turnovers, which is the second-most by the Panthers all season. FIU did most of its offensive damage, off its defense, in the first half, recording 23 of its 38 points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play.     
 
-  FIU led by no more than eight points, twice, for the majority of the first half, with that second margin coming with 5:34 left before the break, when Michael Douglas (Sachse, Texas) connected on a layup to make the score 28-20. The Panthers, however, scored 14 of the final 23 points of the half to take a 42-29 lead into the locker room at the intermission. Despite a stretch where the Owls got the Panthers double-digit lead down to eight points, 64-56, with 7:12 left in the contest, FIU had full control for the majority of the second half pushing its lead to as many as 24 points in the closing minutes.   
 
- The Panthers were almost automatic on the night from the free-throw line, an area where they have struggled this season. FIU hit a season-best 90 percent (18-for-20) from the charity stripe, which is just the seventh time since the 2001-02 season that the Panthers have hit for better than 90 percent, or better, from the line (more than 10 attempts). Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina) and Andrews accounted for the majority of the success from the free-throw line, with Daye, Jr. going 6-for-6 – all in the final three minutes of the game – and Andrews hitting 7-of-his 8 offerings from the line.  
 
- In addition to Andrews' 25 points, Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) chipped in with 17 points to go along with five assists and five steals, and Daye, Jr. added 10 points and a career-high tying five steals. Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) grabbed a team-high six rebounds and swatted six shots in the win. Osaghae's six rejections gives him 100 for his career.
 
Notable
- Tonight's starters for FIU were: G Isaiah Banks (Conyers, Georgia); 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 1-1 with this lineup on the year.

- The Panthers forced Rice into 33 turnovers on the night, marking just the third time this season that FIU's opposition has had 30-or-more turnovers, joining Ave Maria (32) and USF (33).

- FIU's 33 turnovers on the night, against Rice, gives them 541 turnovers forced on the season … It is just the fourth time in program history that the Panthers have recorded better than 540 turnovers forced in a season, joining the 1997-98 (580), 2012-13 (569) and 1996-97 (555) teams.

- The Panthers got back to its up-tempo play scoring 86 points, just its third time during the Conference USA portion of their schedule that they have scored 80 points or more, after doing it 10 times during the non-conference.

- Brian Beard, Jr.'s 17 points marks his 49^th career double figure scoring game.

- Beard, Jr.'s five steals against the Owls gives him 171 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) against Old Dominion on Jan. 12 … He is one steal shy of tying Dwight Stewart for third place (172, 1988-91), and two from surpassing him for sole possession of third.

- In addition, Beard, Jr.'s five assists gives him 341 for his FIU career – in just 57 career games … He sits second on the Panthers' all-time assist list behind Carlos Arroyo (459, 1997-01).  

- Through tonight's game with Rice, Osasumwen Osaghae has 100 career blocked shots, good enough for third all-time in school history.

- Devon Andrews' 25 points marks his 20^th double-figure outing of the season … It is also his seventh 20-point outing of his FIU career, his second-straight and third in the last six games.

- Tonight, Michael Douglas moved into sixth place on FIU's career games played list having played in his 111^th career game with the Panthers.  

Up Next
FIU will close out its schedule prior to Conference USA's Bonus Play on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. against North Texas ... Saturday will also be Senior Day, honoring the Panthers' three seniors; Michael Douglas, Brian Beard, Jr. and Elhadji Dieng.

The Panthers will learn their Bonus Play opponents on Saturday night following the day's games ... FIU will play on four of the following five dates, Feb. 23, 28, and March 3, 6, 9, with two games being played at home and two on the road ... The scheduling format can be found on the bottom of this page.

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