Panthers rout Owls for to end five game losing streak to FAU

By: Malcolm Shields/Staff Writer

malcolm.shields@fiusm.com

The streak is over. Five consecutive losses to Florida Atlantic dating back to 2009 ended on Feb. 4 at FAU Arena as the Panthers relied on a 13-2 run mid-way in the second half to defeat the Owls 76-56.

Phil Taylor finished with a strong second half; as he scored 22 points. Jeremy Allen followed with 20 points. Dominique Ferguson added 14 points inside the paint for FIU (7-15, 4-6 SBC). The Panthers finished shooting 48.1 percent from the field.

“I thought the first half was a typical between the two teams. I thought our team played well in the second half,” Head Coach Isiah Thomas said. “We did some good things on the defensive end. We rebounded the basketball better and the competition [with FAU] has made us better.”

After trailing 29-28 at the break, the Panthers began the second half on a 9-1 run to take a 37-30 lead. After the Owls countered with a run to trim the lead to 44-42 with 10 minutes remaining in the game, FIU pushed the lead back up to 13, via a 11-0 run, which was capped off by a slam dunk by Allen off of a steal to give the Panthers a 55-42 lead.

When the Owls attempted to make a run with less than five minutes remaining, the Panthers continued to attack the basket. “We just felt like everything was going for us,” Allen said. “We played the way we wanted to play. It was good for us.”

With the game in hand for FIU, the sold-out, rowdy crowd at FAU arena began to empty the arena.

“It felt good,” DeJuan Wright said. “After how the last game went, it felt good to be up that much and seeing their crowd leaving.”

Defensively the Panthers did not allow Florida Atlantic (9-14, 5-5 SBC) to get into any rhythm offensively. The Owls finished the game shooting 34.4 percent from the field. Although Greg Gantt finished the game with 21 points, defensively the Panthers were able to contain the other Owls from scoring.

“We knew he was going to get his but we were trying to maintain and contest his shots,” Allen said

Although Wright did not have his typical game scoring from field, he was able to contribute in other areas while Allen, Ferguson and Taylor were scoring.

“I wasn’t trying to get in the way of their flow,” Wright said. “I knew we needed a lot of help on the glass. I took it upon myself to get rebounds.” Wright finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.

At the end of the game, the Panthers were able to convert on its foul shots to ice the game. Taylor was the catalyst for the Panthers in running the offense for FIU in the second half.

“I just kept being aggressive. I just found another way to get myself involved in the game,” Taylor said. “We came out and were patient. [We] work the ball, set screens and cut [to the basket].”

For the Panthers, the win was notice to Florida Atlantic that that the rivalry was not over.

“The rivalry is still on,” Allen said. “It felt good to get this one.”