|
The FIU men’s basketball team
remains undefeated with an overtime win against Princeton, 68-65,
in Princeton, New Jersey. This is only the second time in its
history that men’s basketball has started its season 4-0,
and the first time in Division I.
Nikola Novakovic led the Golden Panthers
(4-0) with a season-high 15 points, including nine in the second
half and overtime periods.
Junior Matias and Eulis Baez each
scored 14 points. Baez recorded his second consecutive double-double,
grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds.
Senior Fab Fisher hit four free throws
in overtime on his way to 12 points for the game to give the Golden
Panthers enough of a lead to hang on at the end.
Slavtcho Slavtchev scored six of his
seven points in overtime, all on three-point baskets, to start
the extra session.
FIU shot 44 percent (24-for-54) for
the game, including 75 percent (3-for-4) in overtime. The defense
held Princeton to 39 percent (21-for-54) shooting.
Princeton started with a 9-2 run to
start the game as the Tigers hit two three-point baskets within
a minute.
FIU would climb back to 16-13 with
tough defense and two baskets by Matias. The Golden Panthers would
hold Princeton scoreless for more than five minutes. Unfortunately,
FIU remained in a scoring drought for more than six minutes.
The Tigers would build their lead
to 21-13 before Matias hit a three-pointer and Novakovic made
a lay-in to cut the advantage to three again with five minutes
to play.
The Princeton margin was 23-20 going
into halftime, as FIU held the Tigers scoreless in the last four
minutes of the first half. Matias scored more than half of the
Golden Panthers’ points with 11. Baez recorded three steals,
more than half of his season total to date.
FIU received a tough break to start
the second half as Matias was called for two quick fouls and was
benched with four fouls at the 16:15 mark. He would return with
five minutes to play.
The Golden Panthers didn’t let
that stop them, though, as they went on to a 7-0 run to take a
37-31 advantage with 14:42 to play. Morban had four points in
the run, including a spectacular running shot from three feet
away.
Princeton took the lead again, making
four three-point baskets in a five-minute span, 45-43. With the
score 49-47, Baez grabbed a missed shot from Matias and tied the
game at 49.
Fisher gave FIU the lead with two
free throws, 52-51, with three minutes to play. After Princeton’s
11th three-pointer, FIU made two defensive stops and Novakovic
put back a rebound to tie the game at 54 with 32 seconds left.
The Golden Panthers stopped the Tigers
from scoring as a Princeton player tripped over Baez, letting
the clock run out.
The overtime period started with a
bang as Slavtchev hit his first two three-pointers of the game,
giving FIU a 60-54 advantage. Down the stretch, Fisher nailed
four key free throws, including two with 15 seconds left.
Matias hit one of two free throws
for a three-point lead with three seconds remaining when he fouled
out with three-tenths of a second left.
Princeton’s Ed Persia missed
both free throws. FIU nearly made a costly mistake when Baez’s
inbounds pass went over the head of Morban leaving the Tigers
enough time to get off a shot. The shot fell short, however, preserving
the 68-65 FIU win.
FIU won despite going 14-for-28 from
the free-throw line for the game. The Golden Panthers go to 14-18
overall in overtime situations, and 2-2 under Head Coach Donnie
Marsh.
Princeton was led by Spencer Gloger’s
19 points and nine rebounds.
It was a homecoming for Marsh, who
coached at Trenton State College (now known as College of New
Jersey) for four years. The college is located just 20 minutes
from Princeton’s campus.
The undefeated Golden Panthers come
home to Golden Panther Arena on Tues., Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., to face
George Washington. Call 305-FIU-GAME for ticket information.
|