Trojans Win in Overtime at FIU

Thursday, February 23

Miami, Fla.

6:30 p.m.

Troy University

Florida International University

Photo by: Cass Davis

2/23/2012 9:13:00 PM | Basketball (M)

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

MIAMI, Fla. – The Troy men's basketball team played its second straight overtime game but came out on the winning end this time with a 75-70 win at FIU on Thursday night.

Troy (9-17, 4-11) withstood a slow start to take a lead before halftime and picked up its defense in the overtime period, allowing FIU (7-20, 4-11) just three points in the extra frame.

“We controlled the overtime period,” said head coach Don Maestri. “The more we felt we were in control on offense, the harder we played on defense. We got some big rebounds in overtime and didn't allow them any second chance opportunities.

In the game, the Panthers outrebounded the Trojans, 36-31, but Troy held a 13-10 advantage on the offensive glass.

The Trojans kept the Panthers winless at home in conference play this season in what was the third overtime game in the last four meetings between Troy and FIU.

The story of the night was opportunistic defense as the Trojans forced 19 Panther turnovers which helped the Trojans go to the free throw line 24 times compared to FIU's 11 trips to the charity stripe. Troy converted on 17-of-24 (70.8 percent), including 3-of-4 in overtime.

Emil Jones led Troy with 17 points while Alan Jones, in his first start since December 29, was also in double-figures with 15. Will Weathers played well with nine points, seven assists and just three turnovers.

Jeremy Allen led FIU with 22 points while the Panthers scored just nine points off their bench. Troy outscored the Panthers 25-9 in the bench scoring department.

Troy returns to the floor as they close out their regular season at Florida Atlantic on Saturday. The Trojans and Owls are set to tip at 6:00 p.m. CST.

For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.

TROY 75, FIU 70

The Trojans started the game cold on the offensive end as they missed their first five shots and FIU built a 12-2 lead. Troy compounded the poor shooting with five turnovers as they fell into the early hole.

The Panthers built their lead up to 12 at 20-8 before the Trojans started to get on a roll. It started when Daronte Clark hit his second 3-pointer of the game. Steven Cunningham then rocked the rim with a one-handed slam from the left side of the baseline to cut it to 20-13.

After two FIU turnovers, Emil Jones scored five straight for Troy to make it a 10-0 run and cut the FIU lead to two at 20-18. Jones would score the next four for Troy as well as the Trojans sat within striking distance at 25-22 with 5:17 to go in the half.

That is when Troy went on an 11-2 run to help make their 35-31 halftime lead possible. Will Weathers hit two free throws at the 3:39 mark that put Troy ahead for the first time all night at 26-25.

The Trojans held the halftime lead despite allowing the Panthers to shoot 55.0 percent (11-of-20) in the first half because they forced 11 FIU turnovers in the frame. Although Troy only got six points off of the turnovers, they helped the Trojans to a 9-of-11 mark at the free throw line in the frame.

Much like the first half, Troy was cold early in the second half as it took three minutes to score and FIU tied the game at 37-37. Emil Jones scored four points in two seconds thanks to another FIU turnover to give Troy a 43-39 lead at 15:08.

However, that is when Phil Taylor hit two straight 3-pointers to give FIU a lead, 45-43, with 11:12 to go in the game.

Troy didn't retake the lead until the 9:14 mark when Cunningham hit the free throw after being fouled while finishing the alley-oop pass from Weathers. The old-fashioned three-point play gave Troy a 54-53 that proved to be short lived.

The Panthers scored five straight to take a four-point advantage at 58-54 but the game would remain a tight one the rest of the way as neither team took a lead bigger than four points. Troy trailed for another six minutes before retaking the lead with 3:35 to go.

R.J. Scott buried a 3-pointer from the right wing just in front of the Troy bench to the Trojans a 64-63 lead. The lead stuck into the final minute as Troy was up 67-65 with less 30 second to go when Jeremy Allen hit a layup for FIU to tie things up at 67-67.

Troy got the final shot, but Weathers' layup attempt was blocked and Troy found itself in a second straight overtime game.

The two sides came up empty on their first two possessions of overtime as Emil Jones' jumper with 2:40 to go marked the first basket of the extra frame. The Trojans and Panthers traded 3-pointers but FIU's triple marked the only points the Panthers could muster in overtime as Troy iced it at the free throw line for a 75-70 win.