HUNTINGTON, W.V. – Junior
Tevin Brewer scored 20 points to lead a total of four Panthers who registered double-figure scoring totals as the FIU men's basketball team held on for a 72-71 road victory at Marshall on Thursday night.
The Panthers led for all but 4:01 of regulation and held a 10-point edge at the break by a 39-29 margin, before a surge to open the second half by the Herd saw the lead erased when a three-pointer by Andrew Taylor tied the game at 45-45 with 14:11 left. Taylor capped a fastbreak with a layup a possession later to give Marshall its first lead at 47-45 since early in the opening half.
Two more ties and two more lead changes would follow before FIU reclaimed the lead at 56-55 following a pair of free throws by senior
Isaiah Banks. The Panthers would extend the margin to seven at 62-55 with 5:11 left following three-pointer by
Clevon Brown and
Denver Jones.
Marshall would get no closer than four points the rest of the way until Taylor scored five points in the final four seconds that were sandwiched around a pair of successful Brewer free throws to account for the final margin.
The win snapped a two-game skid for the Panthers and marked their first road win of the season. The victory also clinched the first sweep in the season series over Marshall for the Panthers.
FIU moves to 13-11 overall and 3-8 in Conference USA action with the win. The Thundering Herd slips to 8-16 and 1-10 in league action.
Joining Brewer in double-figure points was Jones, who tabbed 16 and made his first seven free throw attempts to extend his streak to 24 makes before missing on his final attempt of the evening.
Clevon Brown notched 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while
Eric Lovett tabbed 11.
Each team committed 20 turnovers in the contest, but the Panthers capitalized more as they won the points off turnovers battle 25-14. FIU shot 51.0 percent (25-of-49) from the field and made 16-of-20 free throw attempts.
UP NEXT: The Panthers return to action on Thursday, Feb. 17 in a 7 p.m. ET tip at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center vs. Middle Tennessee State.
The showdown with the Blue Raiders will air on
Conference-USA TV.
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit
HERE.
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(@FIUHoops), and Facebook (
Facebook.com/FIUMensBball) for all the latest Men's Basketball news.
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