Free throws push Panthers past Eagles

Wednesday’s win at home felt like a freebie for Florida International.

The Panthers made 30-of-35 shots from the free throw line to defeat the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 89-83. Zawdie Jackson led the Panthers with a game-high 20 points, including 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. Julian Mackey scored six of his 13 points on free throws.

Corey Stephenson scored 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting and a team-high seven rebounds. The senior, who arrived via transfer from Cal-State Bakersfield, is averaging 18 points per game for the Panthers. Brit Harris scored 12 points and both Larry Olayinka and Eric Dibami each added 10 points for FIU.

The Eagles were led by Isaiah Malone, who scored his 16 points the hard way with nearly all dunks. He shot 6-of-9 from the floor and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the game’s only double-double.

FIU shot 17-of-34 (.500) from the floor including 6-of-14 from the three-point line to take a 44-38 halftime lead. The Panthers finished the game shooting 25-of-55 and 9-of-24 from three, but free throws won the day. Both Jackson and Stephenson scored 11 points for the Panthers in the first half, and both made 2-of-3 from three.

Trailing 4-0 in the game’s opening minutes, Stephenson scored nine of the Panthers’ first 15 points to take a four-point lead with 15:03 remaining in the first half. Olayinka dropped five points on a three-pointer and a layup to start a run that led to the Panthers growing their lead by 10, 27-17 with 11:44 left in the first half.

Back-to-back dunks by Malone sparked a 17-6 run to give the Eagles a 34-33 lead with six minutes until halftime. The lead was short-lived however, as FIU finished the first half on an 11-4 run, capped by a three-pointer by Jackson.

It took the Panthers a little over six minutes into the second half to regain a double-digit lead. In the 13-minute mark of the second half, each dunk by Malone was answered by a three-pointer by Harris.

Both teams managed 45 points in the second half. The Panthers led by 10 points (86-76) after a free throw by Mackey with 55 seconds remaining. The Eagles were able to get as close as four points after a three-pointer by Michael Duax with 14 seconds left. A pair of free throws by Mackey iced the game for the Panthers.

FIU (4-3) has now won two straight games and will continue its week of playing local Atlantic Sun rivals with a home matinee against Jacksonville on Saturday.