Sunday, January 5, 2003

FIU overcomes ten-point second half deficit before losing to North Texas, 94-91, in double overtime

IU takes North Texas to two overtimes before losing, 94-91, at Golden Panther Arena. It was the first Sun Belt Conference game for both teams. Junior Matias scored 22 points to led five Golden Panthers in double-figures.

Eulis Baez recorded his seventh double-double on the year, with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Rodrigo Viegas (16), Carlos Morban (17) and Carlos Fernandez (10) were the other three in double-figure points.

Morban stole four passes on the day for 126 in his two-year career to move into fifth place on the FIU all-time list.

The second overtime saw North Texas (6-7, 1-0 Sun Belt) take a 86-81 lead, before FIU (6-8, 0-1 Sun Belt) stormed back for a 89-88 advantage with a minute to play in the second overtime. Morban capped the come back with two breakaway baskets, including a dunk to take the lead.

The Golden Panthers would hold that lead until UNT's Lee Green nailed a three-pointer with 27-seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Morban broke the North Texas defense, but missed the lay-up to tie the game with just under ten seconds. The Mean Green's Jerome Rogers would hit two free throws to make it a four-point advantage.

Viegas brought FIU to within two, hitting a long jumper, just within the three-point line. UNT's Jermaine Green would hit a free throw and FIU was not able to control the ensuing inbounds pass for the 94-91 North Texas win.

Chris Davis scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Mean Green.

The first overtime had three ties, with Baez tying it the third time with no time left in the period off a rebound. North Texas held the largest lead at four, 80-76 with 1:27 to play.

Matias would make two free throws and Baez would make the tip-in off a missed shot by Morban to take the game to a second overtime.

North Texas jumped out to an eight-point, 45-37 halftime lead, shooting 62-percent (16-for-26) from the field, including 60-percent (9-for-15) from three-point range.

With the game at 19-16 and 10:22 left to play in the first half, the Mean Green went on a 8-3 run for a 27-19 advantage. UNT's Lee Green and Davis scored 12 and 11 points respectively in the half.

FIU was helped by Morban's 10 points and Viegas and Fernandez's five rebounds.

The Golden Panthers began their rally early in the second half, going on a 12-2 run, after North Texas led by ten to tie the game at 49, with 16-minutes left.

The lead would change hands three times from that point on, before Jerome Rodgers would hit two free throws to tie the game with 34-seconds left at 71-71.

Morban missed a jumper to end regulation. FIU held North Texas to 41-percent (9-for-22) from the field in the second half and 13-percent (1-for-8) from beyond the three-point line.

The Golden Panthers also held a 43-23 rebounding advantage in the first two halves on their way to a 50-30 lead for the game. It marked FIU's biggest rebounding edge of the year.

FIU shot 41-percent (31-for-76) for the game and 71-percent (24-for-34) from the free-throw line.

The overtime game marked the third for FIU on the season, beating Princeton, 68-65 and losing to Duquesne, 71-68. It was the first double overtime contest since the Golden Panthers defeated Louisiana Tech, 73-65, on February 6, 1999. FIU is now 14-20 all-time in overtime.

Both teams came into the game with injuries, as FIU starting center Al Harris got sick over the weekend and didn't play. Kevin Harvey and Taurance Johnson also didn't suit up for the Golden Panthers.

North Texas had four players out with injuries, including starters Will Smith and Leonard Hopkins.

FIU will next host Sun Belt opponent Denver at Golden Panther Arena on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.