Box Score MIAMI, Fla. ? Florida International (8-16, 5-9) used a dominant performance on the glass and a decisive edge at the foul line to hand the UALR men's basketball team a 57-45 loss Wednesday night at Pharmed Arena. The Trojans (15-9, 7-6) held FIU to a .319 shooting percentage on the night, but the Golden Panthers enjoyed a +25 rebounding margin (51-to-26) and outscored UALR by 17 points at the charity stripe.
UALR led by five points with 7:33 to go in the first half, but fell behind after suffering a 6:22 scoring drought. FIU took the lead for good with a 12-0 run during UALR's drought, then broke open a four-point ballgame with a 14-3 second-half run.
Chris Fuller led the Golden Panthers with 15 points off 5-of-10 shooting, while Nikola Gacesca came off the bench to post a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double. Cedric Essola matched Gacesca's game-high 11 rebounds, and 7-foot center Russell Hicks added nine points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. The trio of Gacesca, Essola and Hicks combined to outrebound the Trojans 31-to-26.
Sophomore Mike Smith was the lone bright spot for the Trojans, matching his season high of 18 points by going 7-of-13 from the field in 32 minutes off the bench. Smith also tied junior John Fowler for the team lead with four rebounds a piece.
The Trojans held a five-point lead, 18-13, with 7:33 to go in the first half after putting together a quick 9-2 run. Freshman Matt Mouzy hit a three pointer and Smith chipped in four points during the run, capping it off with a layup to put UALR ahead by five.
But the Trojans followed up Smith's layup with a 6:22 scoring drought, and the Golden Panthers took advantage by stringing together a 12-0 run to take the lead for good. Tremayne Russell scored five points during the run, which Fuller capped off by making 1-of-2 foul shots to put the Golden Panthers ahead 25-18 with 1:18 left in the half.
Fowler finally put an end to UALR's drought with a three-point play with 1:01 remaining. His three-point conversion, which marked the team's only points over the final 7:32 of the half, cut the Trojans deficit to four points, 25-21, at the break.
UALR outshot FIU 36.0 percent to 28.6 percent in the first half, but was outrebounded 29-9 by the Golden Panthers. FIU scored 12 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds over the first 20 minutes.
After falling into a nine-point hole, 34-25, the Trojans pulled within four points, 35-31, with a quick 6-1 spurt. Senior Terrance Akins gave the team life with a three pointer to make it a 34-28 contest. Fowler followed with a bucket in the paint, before Akins cut the deficit to four, 35-31, by making 1-of-2 foul shots with 12:49 to play.
With FIU's lead down to four, Gacesca delivered a 18-foot jumper and Fuller followed with a successful three-point play to put the Golden Panthers back ahead by nine, 40-31. The buckets by Gacesca and Fuller sparked a 14-3 run, which pushed the Golden Panthers' lead to 15 points, 49-34, with 5:24 to go.
The Trojans managed to get within seven points, 43-50, with 1:56 remaining, but were unable to draw any closer.
UALR struggled to find its touch in the loss, shooting 33.3 percent from the field, 23.1 percent from the three-point line, and 47.1 percent at the foul line (8-of-17). FIU overcame its .319 shooting percentage by converting 25-of-39 trips to the foul line, while grabbing 23 offensive rebounds as part of its +25 rebounding margin.
UALR returns to action Saturday, when it hosts New Orleans at 7 p.m.
