MIAMI – Women's basketball (14-8, 7-4 CUSA) used a 20-6 third quarter run to complete the comeback victory over Middle Tennessee (12-11, 7-4 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon, 60-58.
This is the Panthers' first victory over the Blue Raiders since the 2021-22 season, and just the second win against MTSU in the Burks-Wiley era.
The game was a defensive gauntlet from the opening tipoff, with FIU scoring 14 to the Blue Raiders' 10 in the first quarter. Middle Tennessee jumped out to a 10-point lead in the second quarter, shooting 50% from the floor and 50% from three, ending the second frame up 34-24.
Out of the break, FIU's defensive prowess re-emerged, holding MTSU to just 11 points and 28% shooting in the penultimate frame, while scoring 21 in the quarter. FIU used a 20-6 run over the final 7:39 of the quarter, tying the game for the first time since 8:40 in the second quarter off a Grecia Ferrer Leal triple with 26 seconds left. Leal had her best game as a Panther, hitting two big threes in a crucial third quarter, and tying a career-high with 13 points. The freshman guard added on eight rebounds, five assists and three steals to round out her career performance.
The fourth quarter proved to be a back-and-forth affair, with Middle Tennessee taking a 54-50 lead with just 3:31 left in the game. A 6-0 FIU run put the Panthers in front with 1:44 left in the game, and would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Junior Rhema Collins was a big contributor down the stretch for FIU, accounting for five points in the last frame and went 3-4 from the free-throw line in the final 10 minutes. The standout guard ended the contest with 15 points, going 9-12 from the charity stripe, while adding on six rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Parris Atkins was the final Panther to reach double figures, putting up 15 points and going 9-10 from the free-throw line. The senior guard added on five rebounds, two assists and four steals to round out her afternoon.
This is only the 11th time in program history FIU has beaten Middle Tennessee, and is the second weekend sweep of the conference-slate for the Panthers this season.
UP NEXT
FIU will hit the road again next week, traveling to Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston on February 12 and 14.
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