Box Score LITTLE ROCK ? Florida International (7-16, 4-6) shot 57.7 percent from the field in the second half and the Trojans (5-15, 1-8) made just one field goal over an 8:11 stretch, as the Golden Panthers improved to 4-6 in conference play with a 96-81 victory at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
Marvin Roberts led all players with 28 points in the win, going 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-9 from three-point range. JC Otero added 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench, helping the Golden Panthers to a +6 margin on the glass (38-to-32).
“Once again it goes back to the defensive end, and our inability to defend late in the second half,” said UALR head coach Steve Shields. “I felt like we were good enough offensively, we just had a stretch in the second half where we turned it over and our transition defense wasn't good enough.”
UALR junior Alex Garcia-Mendoza was 6-of-10 from the field and 7-of-7 at the foul line on his way to a team-high 20 points in the losing effort. Sophomore Kelson Stewart made the first start of his career on Saturday and responded with 15 points off 6-of-10 shooting (3-of-5 from three-point range), while junior Solomon Bozeman totaled 15 points and a team-high seven assists.
Roberts scored 12 points in the first half and scored the team's final nine points, all from beyond the arc, to give FIU a 39-38 lead at the break. Roberts went 4-of-5 from three-point range and FIU outscored the Trojans 16-8 in the paint to take a narrow one-point lead into the intermission.
UALR opened the game by going 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range, to build a 20-16 lead with 12:12 left in the half. But the Trojans followed up their hot start by connecting on just 2-of-10 from the floor (0-for-4 from the long range) over the next 8:31.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Trojans trailed by just three after a floater in lane by Stewart at the 5:04 mark. Garcia-Mendoza knotted the game at 30-all with a three pointer, and junior Matt Mouzy hit consecutive treys to give UALR a 36-33 lead with 1:35 to go. The final six baskets of the first half were three pointers, with Roberts closing out the half with three-consecutive treys to give FIU its one point lead at the break.
UALR shot 50.0 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes, including a 7-of-13 effort from three-point range (53.8 pct.), but was outrebounded by four (20-to-16) and gave up nine offensive rebounds to the Golden Panthers.
With the game tied at 44-all, FIU put together a quick 10-2 run to take an eight-point lead, 54-46, with 13:57 remaining. The Trojans battled back behind a pair of three pointers from Stewart, and faced a six-point deficit, 58-52, following a jumper from FIU's Marlon Bright with 12:32 left in the game.
Down by six, the Trojans scored seven-unanswered points, capped off by a three pointer from junior Ricky Davison, to reclaim the lead 59-58 with 10:05 to play. The 59-58 edge would mark UALR's last lead of the game, as the Trojans followed up Davison's three pointer by making just one more field goal over the next 8:11.
FIU followed up Davison's three pointer with a quick 7-0 spurt and never trailed again. UALR trailed 65-61 following a pair of free throws by Garcia-Mendoza, but Roberts answered with a three pointer moments later, and the Trojans were never any closer than five the rest of the way.
UALR returns to action Thursday night when it hosts the University of Denver at 7 p.m.
