By: Malcolm Shields / Staff Writer
After over being out of the lineup for over a month, the Panthers finally had its leading scorer on the floor. DeJuan Wright, who returned back to the lineup after sustaining a leg injury on Dec. 15, went back to work.
On Jan 19, the Panthers were engaged in a tussle against South Alabama. Wright made his presence felt as he provided the offensive spark down the stretch, which was aided by timely defense to secure the Panthers 65-62 victory in Mobile.
Phil Taylor led the Panthers with 24 points. Wright followed with 18 points and Dominique Ferguson finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for FIU.
“The team fought hard. We’re playing much better basketball out on the road,” Head Coach Isiah Thomas said. “Tonight we were able to pull one out.”
Down 58-55 with 4:05 remaining in the game, Wright knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game. For the final four minutes, the game turned into a battle. Down 62-60 with 59 seconds remaining Wright scored and converted on a three-point play to give the Panthers a one point lead.
On the next possession, the Jaguars tried to run down the shot clock to hold for the final shot of the game, but Ferguson secured a key steal for FIU off of an Augustine Rubit turnover with eight seconds remaining and Taylor made two free-throws late to extend the lead by three with three seconds remaining. On South Alabama’s (10-7, 2-4 SBC) final possession, FIU forced another turnover by Trey Anderson to seal the win.
“Having DeJuan back made a tremendous difference,” Thomas said. “His play-making ability, his shot-making ability made a [potential] three-point loss into a three-point win.”
Down the stretch, the Panthers were able to get key defensive stops to hold onto the win.
“Brandon [Moore] and Dominique were superb inside,” Thomas said. “Their interior defense was fantastic.”
Taylor registered his sixth 20-plus point game on the season against the Jaguars.
“I just did not try to force any shots,” Taylor said. “I just took my open shots within the offense and I was able to knock down a couple of big threes and a couple big free-throws for my team.”
In his first game back, Wright did not feel very sharp.
“I was rusty, but I played as hard as I could. I just went out there with a lot of energy,” Wright said. Wright was surprised that he played 37 minutes in the game. “I didn’t expect it, but I had to just push through it.”
In the final minutes, Wright brought that extra “spark” that Thomas normally described Wright.
“Just my team was helping me get open and just trusting myself just playing basketball and trying to do what coach was asking me to do,” Wright said.
FIU (5-13, 2-4 SBC) now face its divisional and in-state rival Florida Atlantic on Jan. 21. “Every time we play FAU, it’s a two to three-point basketball game,” Thomas said.