MIAMI,  Fla - Maria Torres scores a career high 15 points and Mya Kone puts up 19 points as FIU completes the comeback victory over Utah Tech by score of 68-62, Saturday afternoon at the Oceanbank Convocation Center.

FIU (9-5) started off strong, going on a 9-0 run over the first 2:30 of the game. They scored 12 of their 36 points in the paint in the first 10 minutes, tying the Trailblazers for the game. Kaliah Henderson was hot to start the game, scoring six points in the quarter as well as grabbing a steal to help FIU to a 21-14 lead at the end of the first. The graduate student finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the win.

Utah Tech (7-6) kept it close in the second quarter, with five Trailblazers scoring in the period to cut the Panthers lead to four going into the break. UTU continued their hot shooting into the second half, going 52.9% from the field and 60% from three in the third to end the quarter with a two-point lead going into the final frame.

Down by five with 5:20 left in the game, the Panthers showed their resilience and mounted a late comeback, thanks in part to the efforts of Maria Torres and Mya Kone's clutch shooting. Kone hit a big three to cut the Trailblazers' lead to two with 5:05 left to play, followed by a Tanajah Hayes layup to tie the game with only 3:53 left to play. Maria Torres took over from there, with two huge contested layups to put the Panthers on top for good. Sophomore Mya Kone had a big day from the field, ending the game with 19 points on 8-13 shooting, including 3-6 from beyond the arc. Add on eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal and the 6'2 forward proved to be too much for the Trailblazers to handle.  

Maria Torres did all of her damage in the second half, putting up nine points in the third quarter and six points in the fourth to round out a career high 15 points on 7-8 shooting for the 6'1 senior. Torres was a force on the defensive end as well, blocking three shots and securing two steals to finish off a career day for the forward and a big win in the Panthers' last game of 2023.

UP NEXT
The Panthers will begin conference play back at the Oceanbank Convocation Center against Jacksonville State on Saturday, January 6th at 1 p.m.

TICKETS
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