MIAMI (Jan. 2, 2021) – The FIU men's basketball team closed out its Conference USA series with Old Dominion at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers fell to the Monarchs 71-66 to move to 1-1 in conference play.

FIU dropped to 7-3 for the year while ODU improved to 5-3 this season and 1-1 in league play.

The Panthers battled from the start, shooting 32.1% from the field but just 23.5% from three in the half. FIU allowed the opposition to shoot 47.8% overall and 40% from three, and at the half the team trailed Old Dominion 33-22. Individually, Radshad Davis held a team-high eight points and seven rebounds at the break.

In the second half, FIU improved on its shooting, going 46.7% from the floor. After chipping away at the ODU lead, Anthony Mason tied the game at 59 apiece with 3:25 to go and a foul shot by Eric Lovett gave the Panthers a one-point edge with 2:55 remaining. Despite outscoring the Monarchs 44-38 in the half, the Panthers could not overcome the deficit, and FIU dropped the contest 71-66.

Overall, the Panthers went 25-58 from the field and 8-31 from beyond the arc in the loss. Davis posted his second double-double of the season when he recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds. Lovett was the second Panther scoring in double figures with 11 points in the game. Antonio Daye, Jr., Tevin Brewer and Davis had four assists each.

UP NEXT
FIU hits the road for the first time in league play when the team heads to Middle Tennessee for games against the Blue Raiders on Jan. 8-9.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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