Game Details
FIU 79, Florida Atlantic 76
FIU (17-11, 8-7 C-USA), Florida Atlantic (16-12, 7-8 C-USA)
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 | 4 p.m.  
Boca Raton, Florida | FAU Arena
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's basketball team bent but certainly did not break on Saturday, during the first day of Conference USA's Bonus Play, as the Panthers pulled out a thrilling 79-76 gut-check win over Florida Atlantic at the FAU Arena. The win improves FIU to 17-11 on the year, and 8-7 in C-USA play, and secured its first winning season since the 2012-13 campaign, and only the second since 1999-00.
 
- Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina) poured in a career-high 22 points for the Panthers in the win, his second-straight 20-point effort, while Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) dropped 20 points, including 14 in the second half. Beard, Jr., who finished the game with 999 career points, also had six assists and six steals. Trejon Jacob (Raleigh, North Carolina) had 10 points against the Owls.
 
- FIU led by as many as 16 points in the first half, 35-19, when Willy Nunez, Jr. (Orlando, Florida) hit the first of two free throws with 3:14 left before the break, and eventually took a 38-26 lead into the locker room at the intermission. Florida Atlantic, however, clawed its way back into the contest in the second stanza, taking its first lead of the game, 45-44, on an Anthony Adger three-point play, with 11:47 left. The Owls pushed the lead to as many as eight, with just over six minutes left, 63-55. Despite Florida Atlantic's momentum, the Panthers did not go away, using a 12-0 run, capped by a Beard, Jr. four-point play with 3:27 left to put FIU up, 67-63. The Owls would cut the lead to one, 67-66, with just over three minutes remaining, but the Panthers didn't give up the lead. FIU secured the win by hitting seven of its eight free throws in the final 3:36, including 6-of-6 by Beard, Jr.    
 
- FIU finished the game hitting 43.3 percent (26-for-60) from the floor, while holding the Owls to just 33.3 percent (21-for-63) shooting from the field. In addition, the Panthers forced Florida Atlantic into 18 turnovers on the afternoon, leading to 21 points off the miscues for the blue and gold. FIU also held a 36-22 points in the paint advantage in the win.
 
Notable
- Today's starters for FIU were: G, Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California); G, Antonio Daye, Jr. (Durham, North Carolina); F, Devon Andrews (Lorain, Ohio); F, Isaiah Banks (Conyers, Georgia) and C, Osasumwen Osaghae (Miami, Florida) … FIU is 2-1 with this lineup on the year.

- FIU's win tonight secures the Panthers' first winning season since the 2012-13 campaign, when that team went 18-14 and advanced to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game, and just its second since the 1999-00 season (16-14) … Prior to this season, the Panthers have had just nine seasons of .500-or-better.

- FIU's 17 wins is tied for the fifth most in school history, joining the 1985-86 team (17-9) … The Panthers recorded 18 wins in 2012-13, 19 wins in 1984-85, 20 wins in 1992-93, and a school record 21 wins in 1997-98.

- FIU's 18 turnovers forced today, against FAU, gives them 571 turnovers forced on the season, the second most in a single season in school history … The Panthers are just nine from tying the single season school record (580, 1997-98), and one from setting a new mark … It is just the fourth time in program history that the Panthers have recorded better than 550 turnovers forced in a season, joining the 1997-98 (580), 2012-13 (569) and 1996-97 (555) teams.

- Brian Beard, Jr.'s 20 points marks his 51^st career double figure scoring game and his 20^th career game of 20 points-or-more … Through Saturday's game against Florida Atlantic, Beard, Jr. has recorded 999 career points which is seventh on FIU's all-time scoring list.

- Beard, Jr.'s six steals against the Owls gives him 179 for his career … On Saturday, against Florida Atlantic, he surpassed Carlos Arroyo (177, 1997-01) for second all-time in school history.

- In addition, Beard, Jr.'s six assists gives him 352 for his FIU career – in just 59 career games … He sits second on the Panthers' all-time assist list behind Carlos Arroyo (459, 1997-01).  

- Antonio Daye, Jr.'s career-high 22 points marks his 15^th double-figure scoring game of his collegiate career, and his fourth-straight … In addition, it is his second 20-point performance in as many games.

- Trejon Jacob's 10 points is his 39^th career double-figure scoring performance, and the 14^th of the season.

- Through today's game with FAU, Osasumwen Osaghae has 106 career blocked shots, good enough for third all-time in school history.

- On Saturday, Michael Douglas (Sachse, Texas) surpassed Karel Rosario (1997-01), moving into fifth place on FIU's career games played list having played in his 113^th career game with the Panthers.  

Up Next
FIU will get a week off to prepare for its next Conference USA Bonus Play opponent, Louisiana Tech, who will visit the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Sunday, March 3, at 12 p.m.

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