MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Women's basketball (18-10, 11-6 CUSA) survives a double-overtime thriller at Middle Tennessee (15-14, 10-7 CUSA), beating the Blue Raiders 80-78.
The win marked the first season sweep over MTSU since the 2001-02 season, and the first win in Murfreesboro since 2012.
The Panthers played from behind early, but kept the score close as Middle Tennessee led after the first ten minutes, 20-16.
Defense was the name of the game in the second quarter, with FIU holding the Blue Raiders to just 10 points in the frame before the half. The Panthers put up 17 themselves in the period, and notched a 33-30 lead heading into the break.
MTSU's offense exploded for 25 points and out-scored FIU by 10 in the third quarter, taking back the lead heading into the final frame of regulation, 55-48.
The script flipped in the fourth quarter, with the Panthers scoring 20 points and holding MTSU to just 13. The Blue Raiders held a two-point lead with less than a minute to play, but a Judit Valero layup with 33 seconds to go tied the game at 68 a piece, and sent the contest into overtime. Celebrating her birthday on the day, Valero secured a career-high 19 points in the contest, with 12 of her points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Both overtimes proved to be gritty, defensive battles. Both teams were held to just five points in the first round of free basketball, leading to a second overtime. Defense was once again the decision-maker in the second five minutes of overtime.
Down one with 1:39 left, Fantasia James made a huge layup to put the Panthers in front and never looked back, completing the season-sweep over the Blue Raiders.
Rhema Collins was a star once again, scoring a team-high 22 points on 7-11 shooting, including 4-6 from three. The junior added on four rebounds and two blocks to round out her stellar evening.
Fantasia James was the final Panther in double-figures, putting up 10 points on the night on 4-7 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds and swatting one block.
The win secured the head-to-head tiebreaker over MTSU, putting the Panthers in a good position to finish either second or third in the conference standings heading into the CUSA tournament.
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The Panthers will play their final game of the regular season at Western Kentucky on March 7 at 2 p.m. ET.
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