Men’s Basketball Fights Hard, Falls Short To FGCU

FORT MYERS, FL – Today marked the final match of the three-day in-season tournament hosted by FGCU in Southwest Florida as they took on Florida.

It came down to the wire, but the Panthers couldn’t secure a W as they fell by a score of 60-59 and now leave Fort Meyers with one win under their belt.

Jayden Brewer Shines In The First

The Panthers had a very strong first half highlighted by Jayden Brewer, who came out scoring 12 points with six rebounds and an assist while landing a clutch three-pointer to give FIU the lead in the final minute and wrap up the half with a 30-29 lead.

Don’t Count Out FIU!

After starting the second half weak and outmatched by FGCU, the Panthers knew they had to make adjustments. After trailing by t10 points with 15 minutes to go, Jonathan Aybar, Asim Jones, and Jayden Brewer contributed and cut the deficit to make it close. The Panthers began pursuing the foul and it worked in their favor.

Making Crucial Adjustments

Jeremy Ballard and his squad went to work and tied things up after a free throw attempt was successful for Aybar. The Eagles quickly responded and regained the lead at 57-55.

The final seconds were intense, highlighted by a nervous crowd. With 25.2 seconds to go, FIU was on their last heap of breath in a tie game, thanks to a pair of successful free throws from Aybar.

The cinematics went in FGCU’s favor, however, as with a successful free point attempt made by Michael Duax, FIU was unable to capitalize. In the end, the Panthers had to suffer yet another one-score loss.

On Deck For FIU

The Panthers will head back home and rest until Wednesday, December 4th, when they’ll square off against the Florida Atlantic Owls at The Bank. This will also be their only nationally televised game of the season on CBS Sports Network.