Middle Tennessee hands Men's Basketball a 80-70 defeat on Senior Night

Saturday, February 22, 2003

Middle Tennessee hands Men's Basketball a 80-70 defeat on Senior Night

iddle Tennessee hands FIU its third consecutive loss, 80-70, at Golden Panther Arena. Junior Matias led three Golden Panthers with 20 points.

FIU (7-18, 1-11 Sun Belt Conference) had a big scare as Matias was hurt late in the second half and had to leave the game. After the game, the FIU trainers said Matias had a sprained MCL and is day-to-day.

Eulis Baez added 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Fab Fisher scored a career-high 15 points in his final game at Golden Panther Arena.

Middle Tennessee's (14-12, 8-5 SBC) William Pippen tied his career-high of 32 points and Tommy Gunn added 17.

After Nikola Novakovic opened the game with a basket, Middle Tennessee went on a 17-0 run. MTSU's Pippen scored 10 points in the run and 17 for the half.

FIU answered with a 10-0 run to bring the deficit down to five, 17-12, with ten minutes left to play in the first half.

The Blue Raiders upped the margin to ten, 33-23, on Pippen's third three pointer. Middle Tennessee would keep that ten-point margin until Fab Fisher nailed a trey with 39-seconds left for a 37-30 halftime score.

Fisher and Eulis Baez each scored nine in the first half to lead the Golden Panthers.

Matias and Baez kept FIU close in the second half, scoring 17 of the team's first 18 points.

After the Golden Panthers cut the lead to six, 47-41 at the 13-minute mark, Middle Tennessee would maintain at least a seven point lead through the rest of the game.

Senior Carlos Fernandez nailed a three pointer to give FIU its final points and close out the game, 80-70.

Middle Tennessee shot 59.5 percent (25-for-42) from the floor and held FIU to 39.7-percent (27-for-68).

The Golden Panthers out-rebounded their 15th opponent of the season and five of their last six, 35-33.

It was senior night for FIU as the Golden Panthers honored Carlos Fernandez, Fab Fisher, Nikola Novakovic and Rodrigo Viegas before the game.

FIU will now end its season on the road with a two-game swing at Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock. The Golden Panthers face ASU on Thursday night at 8:00 p.m.