FIU Drops Hard-Fought Decision to UTEP 85-77
The FIU men's basketball team's season came to a close on Wednesday as the No. 11 seeded Panthers dropped a hard-fought 85-77 contest to No. 6 seed UTEP in the second round of the Conference USA Tournament at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. FIU ends the season 13-19, while the Miners advance to face the No. 3 seed Marshall, on Thursday night, with a 19-13 record.
The Panthers got its offensive production during the night from the same trio that has been pacing the way all season long. Donte McGill poured in 24 points while Daviyon Draper chipped in 17 points and Adrian Diaz added 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, and the 15 of his career.
After McGill gave FIU a quick 3-0 lead just 25 seconds in, UTEP took the lead and pushed it to as much as 15 points, twice in the first stanza, the second coming on a Terry Winn layup with 1:33 left in the half to make the score, 40-25. The Miners would eventually take an 11-point, 40-29 lead into the locker room at the break.
The Panthers came out in the second half with an eye on making a run, however UTEP responded on each possession until FIU put together a 20-10 run to cut the Miners' lead to one, 58-57, on the second of two made free throws by Draper with 9:13 left in the game. FIU tied the contest for the first time of the evening, at 62-all, on a corner three-point shot by McGill with 6:34 left.
After each team exchanged three-point field goals on the next two possessions, the second tying the game, once again at 65 on a trey by Elmo Stephen with 5:53 left, Diaz hit two free throws to give the Panthers their first lead since a 3-2 advantage on the opening minutes, 66-65. FIU would get its advantage to as many as three, 70-67, on a Draper three – his final one of the night – with 4:19 left. That would be the last lead that the Panthers would hold the rest of the way.
The Miners would score the final 15 of the last 25 points in the game, including 7-of-7 from the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.
FIU shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field on the night and 75 percent (21-of-28) from the free-throw line. The Panthers also dominated the boards outrebounding UTEP, 43-24, including 21-7 on the offensive glass which led to 25 second chance points. Unfortunately, FIU committed 17 turnovers leading to 30 Miners' points in the game.
The Panthers got its offensive production during the night from the same trio that has been pacing the way all season long. Donte McGill poured in 24 points while Daviyon Draper chipped in 17 points and Adrian Diaz added 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, and the 15 of his career.
After McGill gave FIU a quick 3-0 lead just 25 seconds in, UTEP took the lead and pushed it to as much as 15 points, twice in the first stanza, the second coming on a Terry Winn layup with 1:33 left in the half to make the score, 40-25. The Miners would eventually take an 11-point, 40-29 lead into the locker room at the break.
The Panthers came out in the second half with an eye on making a run, however UTEP responded on each possession until FIU put together a 20-10 run to cut the Miners' lead to one, 58-57, on the second of two made free throws by Draper with 9:13 left in the game. FIU tied the contest for the first time of the evening, at 62-all, on a corner three-point shot by McGill with 6:34 left.
After each team exchanged three-point field goals on the next two possessions, the second tying the game, once again at 65 on a trey by Elmo Stephen with 5:53 left, Diaz hit two free throws to give the Panthers their first lead since a 3-2 advantage on the opening minutes, 66-65. FIU would get its advantage to as many as three, 70-67, on a Draper three – his final one of the night – with 4:19 left. That would be the last lead that the Panthers would hold the rest of the way.
The Miners would score the final 15 of the last 25 points in the game, including 7-of-7 from the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.
FIU shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field on the night and 75 percent (21-of-28) from the free-throw line. The Panthers also dominated the boards outrebounding UTEP, 43-24, including 21-7 on the offensive glass which led to 25 second chance points. Unfortunately, FIU committed 17 turnovers leading to 30 Miners' points in the game.