Allen hits game-winner at the buzzer to lift FIU in home opener

By: Joel Delgado / Sports Director 
With less than a minute to go in the FIU home opener and the game tied up, the Panthers were hoping for some late heroics.

Jeremy Allen delivered.

The senior captain nailed the game-winning shot as time expired to lead the Panthers to a thrilling 64-62 victory over the Coastal Carolina Chancticleers, who came in to the game undefeated.

“That might be the biggest shot of my life,” Allen said after the game. “We needed this. It was a tough game. It was a big win for us at home.”

The Panthers came out with a high-tempo offense and were able to set the pace for most of the first half.

On the other side of the basketball, Coastal Carolina struggled to come up with an answer to FIU’s aggressive defense as they attempted to force the visiting team into settling for shots from the outside.

Despite a strong start, the Chanticleers kept the game close and went down by only five points at the half.

Chris Gradingo and Anthony Raffa, who led the Chanticleers with 13 points each, led the second-half charge by Coastal Carolina as they took a 50-43 lead with just over 12 minutes to go in regulation.

But FIU battled back. Both teams exchanged the lead heading into the climactic final minute of play, setting up one of the most memorable moments in recent program history.

“I liked our perseverance… our tenacity,” coach Isiah Thomas said. “Our guys slowly regained their composure and fought their way back into the basketball game.”

A layup by Dominique Ferguson with 41 seconds to go tied the game at 62-62, setting up a pivotal final possession for Coastal Carolina with just six seconds separating the shot clock from the game clock.

The Chanticleers milked the shot clock to the final seconds, dishing the ball out to Raffa for the potential game-winner. The shot missed the mark and was rebounded by Tola Akomolafe with seven seconds to go.

Akomofale quickly passed the ball down the sideline to Phil Taylor, who then found Allen near the baseline.

Allen released the ball with less than a second to go, as a later review by the officiating crew confirmed, and the crowd erupted in celebration as the Panthers mobbed Allen near the FIU bench.

The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Panthers, who are in the midst of a brutal schedule filled with extended stretches on the road. FIU now plays seven of their next nine games away from home.

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