MIAMI– On a day where the threes weren't falling, FIU men's basketball (9-5, 2-1 CUSA) battled in the paint and from the free-throw line to take down UTEP (4-9, 0-3) to close its long homestand, winning 76-64. There were seven ties and 18 lead changes in the win for the Panthers.

"I just want to start by saying how proud I am of our effort. This was a really tough week," head coach Jeremy Ballard said. "We had three very good opponents come into The Bank, and every game was extremely challenging. Every team we played was physical, talented, and extremely well coached. I also want to give a shoutout to UTEP. They've been on the road for almost two weeks, had guys banged up and out with injuries, and still came in here and played with blood, sweat, and tears. They gave us everything we could handle, and that's a testament to Coach Golding. He does an incredible job with that team, and they're going to be playing some really good basketball as league play gets going. This is a big win for us, and one we're really proud of."

It was a tough first half for the Panthers, who kept it close despite going just 1-10 from three. Neither team scored until nearly three minutes into the game, and UTEP had an early seven-point lead that faded thanks to five early scores from Hamed Olayinka.

FIU never led by more than two points in the first half, struggling to get the shots to fall. Corey Stephenson fought for a tough layup with a minute left, but he was held in check during the half, scoring just four points.

The two teams played similarly tight to start the second half. Stephenson knocked down a pair of free throws to get a three-point lead, but immediately, the Miners answered back with a three on the other end. Tied at 46 with 11 minutes left, Ashton Williamson scrambled for a pretty layup, spurring a 6-0 Panther run and UTEP timeout that put the team ahead for good.

Over the next six minutes, Ibrahim Olajuwon sparked the Panthers further off the bench. He scored eight points, including a tip-in off a missed free throw from Olayinka and a steal that led to a vicious euro-step dunk on the other end.

This 17-3 run proved to be the kill shot, as the Panthers made the lead as big as 15, and the Miners couldn't answer, winning 76-64.

Olayinka (11 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks) and Eric Dibami (15 points, 10 rebounds) became the first set of Panthers teammates with a double-double since Clevon Brown and Denver Jones did so at Eastern Michigan on 12/11/21. It was Olayinka's second time reaching those numbers in a game this season.

"We trust our guards to do their job up top, and if they need help, we've got their back," Olayinka said. "Coach Ballard told me before the game that the best way to take me out is by fouling. So staying out of foul trouble and being on the floor with my teammates means a lot to me. In the Liberty game, it hurt being out when they needed me, so I just tried to do my best out there."

Stephenson (17) and Williamson (10) both had double-digit points, while Olajuwon (nine points and six rebounds) was the leader off the bench for this squad, stepping up big with a pair of blocks in the win. The 26-year old is getting a chance to show what he is capable of after missing a majority of the season with an injury in 2024-25.

"I mean, what's my age? I don't even know my age right now, because I feel like the rest of the team's energy is fueling me," Olajuwon said. "The energy at the core of the team is the same, and I feel that too. I'm just Aibo right now, just Aibo being Aibo."

Ballard now is two wins away from breaking the all-time record at FIU for coaching wins. The Panthers took down UTEP for just the fourth time in program history in 23 meetings, the final meeting between the two as conference foes in Miami, and improve to 9-2 at home. The Panthers held the Miners to just a 35.5% shooting percentage and out-rebounded them 41-33.

UP NEXT
The Panthers return to the road on Wednesday to battle Jacksonville State, who eliminated the Panthers from the conference tournament last season.

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