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Sunday, January 13, 2002
FIU can't hold early lead
in falling to Denver, 72-69
 .J.
Pratt's baseline jumper with 44 seconds remaining broke a
67-67 tie and Denver hit three of four free throw attempts down
the stretch as the Pioneers won their first Sun Belt Conference
game of the season with a 72-69 home victory over FIU Sunday
afternoon.
After Pratt converted one of two free throws with 13.2 seconds
to play for a 72-69 advantage, FIU (8-11, 2-3) played for the
tie with a three-point shot. But unlike last Thursday when the
Golden Panthers converted two long-range shots at the end of
regulation and overtime to win at North Texas, this time, both
Taurance
Johnson then Carlos
Morban missed 3-point attempts as time expired.
Brett Starkey came off the bench and recorded a career-high
17 points to go along with a game-high eight rebounds as Denver
(5-10, 1-3) won its second-straight game after losing its previous
six. Pratt and Sherman Rochell each added 16 points in
the victory.
Johnson led all scorers with 23 points, including 10 in the
first half, as the Golden Panthers raced out to a 13-point, 17-4
lead, with 13:06 remaining. But back-to-back treys by Erik
Benzel and Pratt started a Denver comeback.
The Golden Panthers led 23-16 with 7:18 to play when Johnson
committed his second personal foul and was forced to sit. Denver
went to work over the next four minutes with an 11-2 run, tying
the game at 25 on a pair of Pratt free throws, then taking its
first lead of the afternoon, 27-25, on a Starkey lay in.
FIU got back on top, 32-31 at the half, but really never regained
its earlier momentum. The Golden Panthers did come out after
the break and led 42-36 on a Haven
Jackson jumper with 15:26 to play, but that's when Starkey
began to take charge.
The 6-feet-9 sophomore scored on a three-point play to cut
the lead in half, then set the tone for the remainder of the
game next time down the floor when he grabbed an offensive rebound,
fell to the floor, started his dribble, stood up and layed the
ball into the basket while he was being fouled. Converting the
free throw, the score was tied at 42 with 14:07 still to play.
From then on, there were five lead changes and five ties,
the last coming with 55 seconds to play when a Johnson free throw
made it 67-67.
"This was such a disappointing game for us after the
effort we had last Thursday at North Texas," said FIU head
coach Donnie
Marsh. "I thought we were beginning to turn the
corner, but instead, what we've done is take a step backwards."
FIU lost the game despite having one of its best team shooting
performances of the season. The Golden Panthers shot .509 (28
of 55) from the field and converted nine of 12 (.750) free throws.
Rodrigo
Viegas contributed 14 points and Nikola
Novakovic played one of his better games of the season
with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, three blocks and a
pair of steals.
FIU returns home for its next three games beginning Wednesday,
Jan. 16 when the Golden Panthers host Arkansas State in a 7:30
p.m. Sun Belt Conference contest. |